Child smokers given cash to quit

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".



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."