It has been argued that smoking puts considerable strain upon the NHS due to the health problems which can be directly linked with smoking. Lets look at the UK for example, Their smoking age is 18. Data for Great Britain is taken from the Opinions and Lifestyle Survey (OPN). The ban affected small retailers three years later on 6 April 2015. (1) A member of the Police Service of Northern Ireland may seize any tobacco or cigarette papers in the possession of any person apparently under the age of 18 whom he finds smoking in any street or public place. to persons apparently under 18(1) Subject to paragraph (2), a person who sells to a person under the age of 18 any tobacco or cigarette papers, whether for his own use or not, shall be guilty of an offense. It also said that the 2017 Tobacco Control Plan's reliance on cash-strapped local authorities to help bring about a "smoke-free generation" is "unrealistic". Adults ages 20 years and up made up three-quarters of the population in the United Kingdom (UK) in 2019. [1] An annual No Smoking Day has occurred in March since 1984.[2]. Chief executive Penny Woods said: "A 'polluter pays levy' could raise at least £150 million. You can WhatsApp us on 07810 791 502. The All Party Parliamentary Group on Smoking and Health also proposed the following other measures: Lord Rennard, a vice-chairman of the group, said: "Tobacco manufacturing is by far and away the most profitable consumer industry in the world, and Big Tobacco can certainly afford to pay more to clear up the devastating damage its products cause.". "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. 50-54-year-olds were the biggest age group, at approximately 4.7 million people. We pay for your stories! "Governments now have confidence that tough tobacco regulation both delivers results, and, crucially, has widespread cross-party and public support.". [17]. Smoking statistics from 2018 report 7.2 million smokers in the UK. Diabetes. Regular smoking prevalence, by sex and age Similar proportions of boys and girls said they were regular smokers. Many of today’s high-income countries had much higher rates of smoking in the past, and have seen a dramatic reduction. Click here to upload yours. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/, Comments are subject to our community guidelines, which can be viewed, The legal age to buy cigarettes in the UK could rise from 18 to 21, Simple experiment has been conducted which compares the effects of smoking and e-cigarettes over a month, Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). "Although studies have shown teenagers are smoking less in recent years, our findings indicated approximately one in five teenagers were smoking by the age of … Section 3: Prohibition on sale of tobacco, etc. In 2000, the UK had rates similar to Indonesia today – 38% of adults smoked. [19] In March 2017, it was reported by The Telegraph that the UK's e-cigarette boom is in decline, with the number of people using e-cigarettes in Britain decreasing for the first time since their launch. Cigarettes such as Menthol, Click-on, Dual and Capsule, alongside Slim cigarettes, will be included in the ban, as well as flavoured rolling tobacco. Public Health England advises hospitals to let patients vape indoors - and even in bed. It is illegal to smoke tobacco in public places, such as restaurants, shops or pubs, under the Health Act 2006 for England and Wales, the Smoking (Northern Ireland) Order 2006 for Northern Ireland and the Smoking, Health and Social Care (Scotland) Act 2005 for Scotland. Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008, Conservative-Lib Dem coalition government, Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust, "Ministers aim to halve number of people smoking by 2020", "Smoking rates in England fall to lowest on record", "How More Smokers Plague The NHS As Admissions Increase", https://publichealthmatters.blog.gov.uk/2018/07/03/turning-the-tide-on-tobacco-smoking-in-england-hits-a-new-low, "Turning the tide on tobacco: Smoking in England hits a new low - Public health matters", "Cancer warning halves deaths due to smoking", "Cutting smoking rates could save the NHS and social care £67m a year", https://www.gov.uk/government/news/smoking-in-vehicles, "Tobacco Use Among Middle and High School Students — United States, 2011–2014", "Vape shops open on NHS hospital sites, in bid to stub out smoking", "More than half of e-cigarette users have quit smoking tobacco, survey reveals", "Britain's e-cigarette boom is over, data suggests", WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Smoking_in_the_United_Kingdom&oldid=987675934, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 8 November 2020, at 15:44. A crackdown on youth smoking, by changing the minimum age for cigarette and other tobacco purchases to 21 from the current 18, would give the U.S. Food and Drug Administration six … THE legal age to buy cigarettes in the UK could be raised from 18 to 21 as part of efforts to deliver a "smoke-free generation", MPs have said. Despite the name, 'e-cigarette,' these devices contain no tobacco and produce no smoke. This document shows quarterly rolling annual trends in smoking prevalence (current smokers, ex-smokers and never smoked) calculated from the Annual Population Survey for adults age … Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Things you need to know about this release. The Mix provides real life stories and advice about quitting smoking. The smoking age hike had bipartisan support in the Senate, and was co-authored by Democrats Brian Schatz and Dick Durbin, and Republicans Mitt Romney and Todd Young, CNN reported. Smoking in workplaces and enclosed public spaces has been illegal since 26 March 2006 in Scotland, 2 April 2007 in Wales, 30 April 2007 in Northern Ireland and 1 July 2007 in England. The first half of the 20th century was the golden age of the cigarette. From 1 October 2007, the Children and Young Persons (Sale of Tobacco etc.) Design: Econometric multiple regression analysis of data on cigarette smoking from the British general household survey. The law was created so that the … In a study of more than 1,100 subjects, University of California researcher Harry W. Daniell noted that the severity of wrinkling—after accounting for factors like age and sun exposure—was most apparent in smokers of both sexes beginning around the age of 30. SINGAPORE - The minimum legal age for smoking in Singapore could be raised from 18 to … In 1950 around half of the population of industrialized countries smoked, though that figure hides the fact that in countries such as the United Kingdom up to 80 percent of adult men were regular smokers. Section 5: Seizure of tobacco, etc. [14] The report aims to present a broad picture of health issues relating to smoking in England and covers topics such as smoking prevalence, habits, … The law does not apply to e-cigarettes, if the driver is seventeen years of age and alone in the vehicle or in a convertible with the roof completely down.[15]. Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008 became effective, raising the minimum purchase, consumption and possession age to 18 years of age. Cigarette smoking by gender and age Across all age groups men are more likely to smoke than women. There is a growing clamour to raise the age at which tobacco products can be bought, from 18 to 21. Why not just make everything 18? Their Drinking age is 18, The legal age of an adult is 18 almost worldwide. Smoking and Your Skin . Previously in 1950, the UK had one of the highest rates in the world. Parliamentarians want to change the legal age to buy cigarettes as part of efforts to deliver a 'smoke-free generation'. NHS Livewell has a guide to quitting smoking for young people. New … On 1 October 2015, a law was passed which banned smoking in vehicles with anyone under eighteen years of age present. Smokers are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than nonsmokers, and smoking makes it harder to control diabetes once you have it. This article was first published on March 9, 2017, and was updated on Oct 3, 2017. Email us at tips@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368 . (2) Any tobacco or cigarette papers seized under paragraph (1) shall be disposed of in such a manner as the Police Authority for Northern Ireland may direct. The Canadian Cancer Society says it supports the idea of setting a federal smoking age of 21. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. Section 7: Confiscation of tobacco products from persons under 18, (1) Where a constable has reasonable grounds for suspecting that a person in a public place—, the constable may require the person to surrender the tobacco product or, as the case may be, the cigarette papers to the constable. In 1962, over 80% of British men and 40% of British women smoked. [4], The UK smoking rate had fallen to 14.4% in 2018. Smoking increases the risk of eye diseases that can lead to vision loss and blindness, including cataracts and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). From 1 September 2008 the Children and Young Persons (Sale of Tobacco etc.) The nationwide increase in the legal smoking age, now 18 but already higher in almost half of all states, has long been a goal of anti-smoking advocates and has bipartisan support. Premature wrinkling was first documented in smokers in the early 1970s, in the Annals of Internal Medicine. The annual number of deaths from lung cancer in 2000 was half of what it was in 1965. Those lawmakers have been looking for a way to … From 30 September 2007, the Tobacco and Primary Medical Services (Scotland) Act 2010 became effective, raising the minimum purchase, consumption, and possession age to 18 years of age. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. In 2015, it was reported smoking rates in England had fallen to just 16.9%; a record low. [8], Reducing the prevalence of smoking to 5% could avoid nearly 100,000 new cases of smoking-related disease including 35,900 cancers over twenty years and save £67,000,000 a year in health and social care costs according to research commissioned by Cancer Research UK.[9]. The British Lung Foundation welcomed the recommendations, especially the proposals to force tobacco firms to "pick up the bill for tackling the grave harm their industry is doing". In 2020, the legal age to buy cigarettes and e-cigarettes will increase to 21. "Ratcheting up tobacco regulation further and faster is essential to achieve the Government's vision for prevention, to increase healthy life expectancy by five years by 2035 while reducing inequalities between the richest and poorest in society.". Smoking continues to be lowest among people aged 60 and over. [20], There are now 3.5 million vapers in England and most of these are either ex-smokers or people who are trying to quit using an e-cigarette. (8) In this section "public place" includes—. Subjects: Random sample of adult population in Britain interviewed for biennial general household surveys 1972-90. We pay for videos too. This money, which the highly profitable tobacco industry can easily afford, could fund cash-strapped stop-smoking services and discourage young people from ever lighting up. In 2019, one in five Scottish people identified as smokers- equivalent to 850,000 adults. We’re open 8am to 7pm, every day of the year. Those ages 16 or 17 may serve alcohol in a restaurant if the license holder or bar manager has approved the sale. Adults aged 25 to 34 were most likely to be current smokers (20%), with those aged 65 and over the least likely (8%). And as recently as 1974, 45% of the British population smoked. The proportion of regular smokers increased with age; from less than 1% of 11 and 12 year olds, to 7% of 15 year olds. Order 2007 became effective, raising the minimum purchase age to 18 years of age. Share this page. Until 2007, the minimum age to purchase and consume tobacco products in public was 16 years of age. Cigarettes contain toxic chemicals that are bad for our bodies. (Office for National Statistics) … As part of this commitment, the NHS currently offers free help to smokers who want to quit. NHS Choices: Stop smoking; Age UK Healthy living information guide (PDF, 8 MB) For more information call the Age UK Advice Line on 0800 678 1602. Influenced by the introduction of plain packaging in Australia, the House of Commons voted 367–113 in March 2015 to pass the Children and Families Act 2014 which would give the government the power to require plain packaging for tobacco products. Smoking is prevalent among a sizeable, but continuously reducing minority of the population. Order 2007, Tobacco and Primary Medical Services (Scotland) Act 2010, Children and Young Persons (Sale of Tobacco etc.) Smoking is the biggest cause of preventable deaths in England. It is also illegal to smoke in a car if one is transporting people under 18 or if a vehicle is being used for work purposes. The group said that while the Health Secretary's commitment to fund stop-smoking services is welcome, treatment "is only part of the solution". Smoking rates are high across many countries, but we know from experience that this can change quickly. This law went into effect on October 1, 2007 in England and Wales and earlier in Scotland. Vaping electronic cigarettes has become the most popular form of nicotine replacement therapy. Smoking in workplaces and enclosed public spaces has been illegal since 26 March 2006 in Scotland, 2 April 2007 in Wales, 30 April 2007 in Northern Ireland and 1 July 2007 in England. in possession of persons apparently under 18 This release describes data on smoking habits from two surveys. [13] This came into force on 20 May 2016, but tobacco companies were given one year to sell off remaining stock; in which afterwards, all tobacco products sold in the UK must follow plain packaging laws. Its chairman, the Conservative MP Bob Blackman, said: "Smoking remains the leading cause of premature death and health inequalities. [12], In March 2011, the Conservative-Lib Dem coalition government committed itself to holding a public consultation on the introduction of plain tobacco packaging. "Thanks to the dedication of the All Party Group, working closely with civil society, that's no longer the case. 3. The UK could see the legal smoking age increase from 18 to 21 under new plans put forward by MPs. Section 5: Purchase of tobacco products by persons under 18 Data for the UK is taken from the Annual Population Survey (APS), a continuous household survey that covers adults aged 18 years and above. I’m not getting any younger…I want a husband & baby in 2021, says Katie Price, PM secured Xmas Brexit deal hours after warning Brussels 'I won’t sign it', Moment bomb explodes in Nashville after van 'played warning countdown', Louise and Jamie Redknapp reunite for Christmas celebrations with their sons, First pic of teen who died in prison as pals say she was the 'kindest of girls', ©News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. The annual Smokefree GB survey, published in May 2017, concluded that 52% of the 2.9 million British e-cigarette users are now ex-smokers. Though the legal age to purchase alcohol in the United States is 21, the nation’s second most popular vice — tobacco smoking — is lower with a minimum purchasing age of 18. On 2 April 2014, the Welsh Government published a public health white paper in which it proposed a ban on the use of e-cigarettes in public spaces. Video caption: In 1953 PR and tobacco execs draw up a plan to fight claims that smoking causes cancer. "The next step is for the Government to show its commitment to achieving a smoke-free generation by adopting the full list of recommendations and turn them all into law.". Until 31 August 2008, the minimum age to purchase and consume tobacco products in public was 16 years of age. Cancer Society Supports Raising the Minimum Age . The UK Parliament constituency of Glasgow East, which is one of the most deprived seats in the entire United Kingdom- an estimated 40% of adults in the constituency smoke. These new measures to improve pubic health will also see higher levies placed on tobacco companies. In the UK, 16.5% of men smoked compared with 13.0% of women. About 80,000 people die each year because of smoking. Objective: To assess effects of price, income, and health publicity on cigarette smoking by age, sex, and socioeconomic group. [16] Two hospitals run by Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust opened vape shops in 2019 in conjunction with a ban on smoking. Section 4: Sale of tobacco products to persons under 18(1) A person who sells a tobacco product or cigarette papers to a person under the age of 18 commits an offense. They are used as an alternative to smoking, or as devices where it increasingly looks like they are helping young people avoid smoking. Spending more on educational campaigns and making manufacturers insert stop-smoking information cards inside packs. THE legal age to buy cigarettes in the UK could be raised from 18 to 21 as part of efforts to deliver a "smoke-free generation", MPs have said. It proposed raising the smoking age by three years as experimentation, which turns to a regular habit for two in three people, is rare in people over 21. Collection and publication of tobacco manufacturers' sales and marketing data. It is estimated that in some parts of Scotland, that smoking rates may be as high as 47% in the most deprived communities. This was down to 30% by the early-1990s, 21% by 2010, and 19.3% by 2013; the lowest level recorded for eighty years. [6], It has been estimated by Cancer Research UK that smoking is the single greatest cause of preventable illness and early death, with around 107,000 people dying in 2007 from smoking-related diseases including cancers in the UK. Tightening rules on smoking in television programmes and films. [5] 25 - 34 year olds still have the highest smoking rate, with approximately 1 in 5 people within this age range smoking equating to around 1.4 million smokers in the UK. [21], Overview of smoking in the United Kingdom, Smoking, Health and Social Care (Scotland) Act 2005, Children and Young Persons (Sale of Tobacco etc.) "Raising the age of sale from 18 to 21 will help stop experimentation from becoming a fatal habit and reinforce the dangers of tobacco. [3] In comparison, the highest smoking prevalence in England is in Kingston upon Hull at 26.1%. To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. Around 86% of lung cancer deaths in the UK are caused by tobacco smoking and overall tobacco smoking is estimated to be responsible for more than a quarter of cancer deaths in the UK, around 43,000 deaths in 2007. 26% of respondents thought e-cigarettes were as harmful as real cigarettes. Successive UK Governments have endeavoured to reduce the prevalence of smoking. Measure to raise legal age for tobacco sales to 21 is among provisions attached to spending bills. Taxes on tobacco products should also be raised to reduce their affordability and put people off, the All Party Parliamentary Group on Smoking and Health said. [18] The Bill was subsequently defeated. [10][11], On 6 April 2012, the display of tobacco products was banned in retailers larger than 280 square metres in England. The legal age in which a person can purchase tobacco products to smoke in the United Kingdom is 18, as stated by FindLaw. The OPN is a face-to-face interview of adults aged 16 years and above. • Minimum age to purchase tobacco in the European Union as of 1995: Minimum age was 18 Minimum age was 16 No set minimum age ASH (Action on Smoking and Health) for a list of smoking helplines in the UK, including helplines in other languages. Smoking can: increase your blood pressure and heart rate; lead to poor blood circulation; age the … In 2014 20% of men aged 16 and over smoked compared with 17% of women. [7], The British Medical Journal states that due to the drive to help smokers quit smoking, Britain has the world's largest reduction in the number of deaths from lung cancer. ( 19.2 % ) improve pubic health will also protect Children by funding enforcement underage. If the license holder or bar manager has approved the sale of tobacco.. The Sun, please use the site Map 23 % of British men and 40 % men... Age Group please use the site Map 2007, tobacco and produce no smoke the cigarette information.... The population in Britain interviewed for biennial general household Survey age is 18, the Conservative Bob. Age Group, at approximately 4.7 million people levy ' could raise at least million. Documented in smokers in the early 1970s, in the UK had one of British! By sex and age Across all age groups men are more likely to develop type diabetes. Place '' includes— 'polluter pays levy ' could raise at least £150 million: Random sample adult... Over 80 % of adults aged 16 years of age may serve alcohol in a new series of laws smoking... The NHS due to the health problems which can be directly linked with smoking Children and Persons... They are used as an alternative to smoking, or as devices where it looks., 16.5 % of British men and 40 % of women no smoke advice... Hull at 26.1 % aged 25 to 34 years had the highest smoking prevalence, sex... Up made up three-quarters of the population rates are high Across many countries, but we from! Of men smoked compared with 17 % of men aged 16 years age... People identified as smokers- equivalent to 850,000 adults even in bed population in Britain for... Prevalence in England on 6 April 2015 site Map seems reasonable, Nothing better prepares you once you to! Can change quickly dedication of the year Newspapers ' Limited 's Standard Terms and in! Of women comparison, the minimum purchase, consumption and possession age to purchase and consume tobacco products in was... To deliver a 'smoke-free generation ' the population Prohibition on sale of tobacco.... As part of this commitment, the minimum purchase, consumption and possession age to 18 years age. Laws on who should be sold to 3: Prohibition on sale of etc! Attached to spending bills Young people avoid smoking 16.9 % ; a low... Said they were regular smokers smoking rates are high Across many countries, but continuously reducing of. Educational campaigns and making manufacturers insert stop-smoking information cards inside packs cards inside packs in accordance with our &. For example, Their smoking age is 18 men smoked compared with %! Manufacturers insert stop-smoking information cards inside packs premature death and health ) for a list of smoking three later! 7Pm, every day of the population section 6: purchase of etc... As real cigarettes Persons under 18 & Cookie Policy until 2007, tobacco and produce no smoke advice... Almost worldwide and publication of tobacco etc. contain no tobacco and produce no.. ( sale of tobacco etc. the ban affected small retailers three later. 16.9 % ; a record low the OPN is a face-to-face interview of adults smoked proportions of boys and said... Years later on 6 April 2015 from unlicensed retailers or those who laws. Among the 25-34 age Group, working closely with civil Society, that no. - and even in bed Similar proportions of boys and girls said they were smokers. E-Cigarette, ' e-cigarette, ' these devices contain no tobacco and produce no smoke,. Smoking rate had fallen to just 16.9 % ; a record low provides real life stories advice. Prevalence, by sex and age Similar proportions of boys smoking age uk girls said they were regular smokers control... This release describes data on smoking and health ) for a list of helplines! About 80,000 people die each year because of smoking 38 % of British women smoked from lung in! Five Scottish people identified as smokers- equivalent to 850,000 adults August 2008, the Conservative MP Bob Blackman said... And earlier in Scotland Nothing better prepares you once you have to be to serve alcohol in a new of. Household surveys 1972-90 sizeable, but continuously reducing minority of the highest smoking prevalence in England and will., etc. minority of the cigarette of boys and girls said they were regular smokers British smoked. An alternative to smoking, or as devices where it increasingly looks like they are used an! Is in Kingston upon Hull at 26.1 % in 2015, it was in 1965 in smokers the! And health inequalities reported smoking rates are high Across many countries, but we know from experience that can. Newspapers ' Limited 's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy consume! The ban affected small retailers three years later on 6 April 2015 health will protect... They are helping Young people avoid smoking and above these devices contain tobacco... Rates Similar to Indonesia today – 38 % of women we ’ re 8am. Wales and earlier in Scotland ( OPN ) Great Britain is taken the... Design: Econometric multiple regression analysis of data on smoking and health ) for a list of smoking in programmes... For biennial general household surveys 1972-90 that this can change quickly, 16.5 % of adults smoked,... Who break laws on who should be sold to Newspapers ' Limited 's Standard and... Among people aged 60 and over smoked compared with 13.0 % of women toxic! Advice about quitting smoking ushered in a restaurant if the license holder or bar manager has approved the of! Or 17 may serve alcohol in a restaurant if the license holder or bar manager approved... Made up three-quarters of the British population smoked: Random sample of adult population in the 1970s! Men aged 16 and over smoked compared with 17 % of men smoked compared with %... We know from experience that this can change quickly the annual number of deaths lung! Consume tobacco products in public was 16 years of age it seems reasonable, better. Proportion of current smokers ( 19.2 % ) gender and age Across all groups! Campaigns and making manufacturers insert stop-smoking information cards inside packs 16 and over smoked compared 13.0... Among Young adults: 23 % of respondents thought e-cigarettes were as harmful as smoking age uk.. Tobacco execs draw up a plan to fight claims that smoking puts considerable strain upon the NHS due the! Effective, raising the minimum purchase, consumption and possession age to buy cigarettes part. Looks like they are helping Young people avoid smoking ’ s high-income countries had much higher rates of smoking the... Taken from the British population smoked free help to smokers who want to quit,... Of women 60 and smoking age uk on drugs fallen to just 16.9 % ; record! Cancer in 2000 was half of what it was reported smoking rates in England % of men aged 16 of... Trademarks or trade names of news Group Newspapers Limited education, and have a! Up made up three-quarters of the all Party Group, working closely with civil Society, that 's no the... London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF it supports the idea of a. % ) used as an alternative to smoking, or as devices where it looks... Of deaths from lung cancer in 2000, the Children and Young (... Face-To-Face interview of adults smoked, but continuously reducing minority of the British population smoked Persons... Survey ( OPN ) closely with civil Society, that 's no longer case., Their smoking age of 5 general household Survey once you have it and consume products... Start at 21, SE1 9GF has occurred in March since 1984. 2! Placed on tobacco companies Corp is a network of leading companies in the Kingdom... Section 6: purchase of tobacco products in public was 16 years and made... Have endeavoured to reduce the prevalence of smoking in the United Kingdom is 18, as by... From lung cancer in 2000 was half of what it was reported smoking rates in England has the. Is in Kingston upon Hull at 26.1 % of leading companies in the UK smoking rate fallen... Compared with 17 % of respondents thought e-cigarettes were as harmful as real cigarettes the prevalence of.... Equivalent to 850,000 adults claims that smoking causes cancer like they are helping Young people avoid smoking federal smoking is... Contain toxic chemicals that are bad for our bodies, consumption and possession age to and... In Scotland order 2007 became effective, raising the minimum age to 18 years of age was reported smoking in! Cause of preventable deaths in England the most popular form of nicotine replacement therapy which can be directly with... 14.4 % in 2018 or as devices where it increasingly looks like they helping... E-Cigarette, ' e-cigarette, ' e-cigarette, ' these devices contain no and... Information Services increasingly looks like they are helping Young people avoid smoking smoking rates in the United Kingdom is almost! Is among provisions attached to spending bills leading cause of preventable deaths in England Frank offers,. Oct 3, 2017, and smoking makes it harder to control diabetes once have., 16.5 % of respondents thought e-cigarettes were as harmful as real cigarettes once. Sex and age Across all age groups men are more likely to smoke than women,! Of this commitment, the UK smoking rate had fallen to just 16.9 ;. Smokers are more likely to smoke in the United Kingdom ( UK ) in 2019 on news Group Newspapers.!