Scotland Plans To Raise Smoking Age

Scottish ministers have confirmed they aim to raise the legal age for buying cigarettes north of the border to 18. Smoking in enclosed public spaces has been banned in Scotland since March, in a move widely praised by health campaigners.

Confirmation that the Scottish Executive plans to go further came soon after the publication of a report recommending a range of measures to discourage smoking, particularly among the young.

One of the recommendations is for the age for buying cigarettes to be raised to 18 from 16.

The power for ministers to take this step came in the legislation banning smoking in enclosed public places, but requires to be activated through regulation.

It is not clear whether this will be done ahead of next May’s Holyrood election.

The Executive-commissioned report published today also called for the display of cigarettes in shops and other outlets to be banned, replaced instead by a simple list of brands and their prices, and for heavy fines for selling tobacco to under-age teenagers.

There should also be a “negative licensing” scheme so shops which repeatedly sell cigarettes to the under-age youngsters are barred from selling tobacco products.

The recommendations are among 31 measures proposed by a group set up by the Executive to help frame a long-term smoking prevention strategy.

Anti-smoking campaign body ASH Scotland, which was represented on the group, welcomed the findings.