Move to raise tobacco age
13 Jun 05
Under 18s could be banned from buying cigarettes
New plans to ban children from buying cigarettes and other forms of tobacco will discussed by MSPs tomorrow.
An amendment has been tabled to the Scottish Executive's bill to ban smoking in public places which would give ministers the power to vary the age for buying tobacco, subject to consultation.
Duncan McNeil, Labour MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, wants the age raised from 16 to 18 to stop young people acquiring the habit.
However Tory MSP Bill Aitken said that he did not think the plan was workable, while anti-smoking group Ash Scotland said that there was no evidence that raising the purchase age would reduce the prevalence of smoking.