MPs have voted to ban tobacco vending machines and retain the ban on tobacco displays at point of sale.

Tobacco is linked to three quarters of mouth cancer cases and also is a major cause of gum disease.  Mouth cancer kills about one person every five hours in the UK, with about 1,800 dying each year.

It is diagnosed annually in more than 5000 people, an overall rise of 40% in ten years. Mouth cancer usually affects people over 40, though more young people are developing it. People who smoke and drink are 30 times more likely to develop mouth cancer.

Research now suggests that (HPV) transmitted by oral sex could soon rival tobacco and alcohol as the main cause of mouth cancer  

Sunita Verma, Sparkle Dental Boutique says, ”Visually appealing point of sale tobacco displays are a temptation for impulse purchases. Now that there is a ban on tobacco vending machines, this should help keep tobacco out of children’s reach. This in turn will help reduce the number of people who take up smoking and therefore the number of patients with mouth cancer.“

 Source: Dental Tribune 9-15 Nov