HEADLINES

• Lincolnshire: 400 children given help to quit smoking
• Coventry's Millennium Square smoke free for Olympic Games
• Plymouth: Complete smoking ban at Derriford Hospital site within weeks
• York: Mother shocked at electric cigarette ban
• Derbyshire: Couple jailed for illicit tobacco trading
• Southampton: Man charged after investigation into tobacco smuggling through Container Port

• Lincolnshire: 400 children given help to quit smoking

  The Phoenix Stop Smoking Service has been approached by nearly 400 youngsters aged under 16 since April last year.

  Service manager Gary Burroughs believes this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to children smoking in the county.

  Together with Phoenix, the Smokefree Lincs Alliance will develop a youth service that is tailored to the specific needs of young people.

  Source: This is Lincolnshire - 301 January 2012
  Link: http://bit.ly/wDiwSw

• Coventry's Millennium Square smoke free for Olympic Games

  Coventry has decided to create a ‘smoke-free square’ for the duration of the Olympic Games this summer.

  Although the city council does not have the power to follow earlier plans to ban smoking in the outdoor area, Coventry’s Smokefree Alliance proposed a low cost campaign urging people not to light up in Millennium Place during the Games. That has now been given the go ahead by Coventry City Council.

  Source: Coventry Telegraph - 27 January 2012
  Link: http://bit.ly/zg3jqA

• Plymouth: Complete smoking ban at Derriford Hospital site within weeks

  Smoking will be completely banned across the Derriford Hospital site within weeks.

  The hospital's two remaining smoking shelters will be removed and the total ban enforced from March 14 – No Smoking Day.

  Anyone lighting up in the grounds, including car parks and gardens, will be challenged and asked to leave by security if necessary.

  Staff smoking on site or in uniform could face disciplinary action, as the ban will become hospital policy.

  Source: This is Plymouth - 30 January 2012
  Link: http://bit.ly/wuHcMS

• York: Mother shocked at electric cigarette ban

  A woman said her birthday night out was spoilt after she was asked to leave a York bar for using an electronic cigarette.

  Cherry Knott, 59, was celebrating her birthday with her daughter, son and his partner in a Yates pub when they were approached by a member of staff who asked them to stop using the e-cigarettes or to leave the venue.

  Source: York Press - 31 January 2012
  Link: http://bit.ly/zC29XO

• Derbyshire: Couple jailed for illicit tobacco trading

  A couple who ran an illicit enterprise dealing in smuggled tobacco and cigarettes have been jailed.

  Nearly 400,000 cigarettes and 234 kilos of hand rolling tobacco were seized from a self storage unit rented by Melvin and Serena Mellors in Chesterfield, in February 2011.

  Some of the cigarettes were counterfeit resulting in a duty loss of over £100,000 from public finances.

  Source: Derbyshire Times - 31 January 2012
  Link: http://bit.ly/xi6PYg

• Southampton: Man charged after investigation into tobacco smuggling through Container Port

  A man has been charged with trying to smuggle 1.1 tonnes of tobacco into the UK through Southampton docks.

  HM Revenue and Customs have charged Wuyang Wan, with attempting to cheat the public purse out of an estimated £160,000.

  Source: Southern Daily Echo - 26 January 2012
  Link: http://bit.ly/w8WHe8