England is banning supermarkets and shops from displaying cigarettes as part of the Government plan to cut back on smoking. 

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Now I don't smoke and if you do that's up to you, it's your death sentence.  For years we have heard about the deadly effects of smoking and for as long as I can remember people have been brushing it off.  The UK is taking some pretty big steps in the battle to get people off cigs.  As of 2012 all supermarkets in England have to remove cigarette displays and by 2015 small shops can no longer display them either.  All smoking products must be kept out of site and only special conditions will allow displays out.   Only 20% of adults in England smoke and they want to reduce that to 18%.

Smoking is undeniably one of the biggest and most stubborn challenges in public health. Over eight million people in England still smoke and it causes more than 80,000 deaths each year

-Health Secretary Andrew Lansley

Now of course the big Tobacco companies in England are challenging the ban, because it is going to hurt their business.  I don't know how much though.  If people want smokes, they will find them.  It won't seem like such a casual habit anymore though, it may seem a bit sleazy like buying an adult magazine.  This is big in the battle against smoking.  I think we should be taking bigger steps to get people to quit.  The problem is the government benefits from the taxes collected from cigarette purchases, so I don't see them trying to ban them this much in the near future.  For now I'll enjoy my nice clean lungs, maybe you should try the same.

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