Child smokers given cash to quit

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An NHS scheme which offers shopping vouchers to children who quit smoking could lead them to take up the habit, the TaxPayers' Alliance has said.

NHS Brighton and Hove is offering £15 vouchers to youngsters aged under 18 who ditch smoking, as well as £5 vouchers to pregnant women who give up.

Health promotion chief Kate Lawson said the youngest person to ask for help was aged 10, but such cases were "unusual".

The TaxPayers' Alliance said youngsters might start smoking to get the reward.

Motivating a young person with a small cash incentive is the push they need Kate Lawson

Matthew Elliott, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "It sets a bad precedent to start bribing children to stop smoking.

"If the law was properly enforced these kids wouldn't be able to buy cigarettes in the first place.

"It's wrong to land taxpayers with an extra bill as a result of that failure.

"Sadly, the problems of the welfare state have already shown that some people may be tempted to start smoking just to cash in with this scheme."

Ms Lawson disagreed the scheme is bribing young people and if they give up it could save the NHS "millions of pounds" as well as the individual feeling "immediate benefits".

She said it was "very unusual" for a 10-year-old to contact the service, since children that young normally hide the fact they are smoking.

'Successful quitters'

"But young people are sometimes prompted by friends, family or schools to seek help in quitting," she said.

"Evidence shows that motivating a young person with a small cash incentive is the push they need to ask for help."

One programme which offered pregnant teenagers £5 after they had stopped smoking for 28 days, already had "a number of successful quitters", she said.

A report last year showed 20% of 15-year-olds in Brighton and Hove smoked at least once a week, compared with 1% of 11-year-olds.

The primary care trust is currently handing out about two vouchers a month.