Port-Louis, Mauritius — The British American Tobacco (Mauritius) launched Wednesday the Youth Smoking Programme to discourage vendors from selling cigarettes to minors.

Manoj Ujoodha, Corporate and regulatory affairs manager told PANA in Port-Louis that smoking is an adult choice and that minors should not smoke.

He recalled a study by the Mauritian health ministry conducted last year which indicated that most under-age smokers buy their own cigarettes and that their behaviour is linked to three factors - smoking parents, smoking brothers and sisters and alcohol-consumption.

"These conclusions have been communicated to vendors. We have also installed sales prohibition notices in every tobacco selling point to discourage the sale of cigarettes to minors," Ujoodha said.

The BAT official emphasised that cigarette selling is a legal business but full of controversy.

"We should act with responsibility and abide by the legislation which forbids the sale of cigarettes to minors," he added.