Rotherham Council supports menthol cigarette ban

Menthol cigarettes, menthol filters and papers, and skinny cigarettes have been withdrawn from shelves in an effort to curb smoking amongst young people, and reduce the number of people taking up the habit.

Councillor David Roche, Rotherham Council’s Cabinet member for Adult Social Care and Public Health and Chair of the Health and Wellbeing Board, said: “The evidence is clear that two thirds of the 634 children who start smoking in Rotherham every year will go on to become daily smokers. It is better to not start smoking than to have to quit, which can take as many as 30 attempts.

“Many of those who experiment will become lifelong smokers, suffering serious smoking-related diseases and premature death.”

Newly published figures show that in a year 634 children aged 11-15 years old start smoking in Rotherham.

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