This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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New restrictions on tobacco advertising
25/03/2004
New regulations aimed at restricting the advertising of cigarettes and other tobacco products in newsagents and supermarkets were laid before the Scottish Parliament today.
The regulations are authorised under the Tobacco Advertising and Promotion Act 2002 and follow similar regulations laid before Westminster last week.
Deputy Health Minister Tom McCabe said:
"These Point of Sale Regulations are an important step in taking forward the tobacco advertising ban and will take effect before the end of the year.
"This kind of advertising, due to its prominence and bright colours, can glamorise smoking to children and is often placed close to sweets and magazines in newsagents. These new measures will further help to protect young people from the dangers of smoking and discourage the purchase of tobacco products.
"The tobacco advertising ban supports the range of other measures which have been introduced by the Executive to address what is the greatest preventable cause of ill-health and premature death in this country - accounting for more than 13,000 deaths and 33,500 hospital admissions.
"In January, the Executive launched its Tobacco Control Action Plan, which included a range of measure to help smokers quit and reducing the number of people - particularly children - taking up the habit.
"Within the Action Plan was an announcement to consult the public on its views on smoking in enclosed public places, which we hope to launch in early summer. The Executive is committed to increasing the number of smoke-free public places and through this consultation we expect to be able to gauge public opinion on what the Scottish public want to see done.
"The dangers of smoking, as well as second-hand smoke are also clear. Over the coming months we, along with NHS Health Scotland, will be looking to raise public awareness of the risks associated with tobacco smoke."
Around 1.2 million people in Scotland smoke - just over 30 per cent of the adult population. While smoking rates have been going down in recent years among the more affluent, they have changed little in the most disadvantaged areas.
It is estimated that at least 20-25 per cent of all deaths in Scotland result from smoking. Scotland has the highest rates of lung cancer in Europe for both men and women, with most cases caused by smoking.
The Tobacco Advertising and Promotion Act received Royal Assent on November 7, 2002 after passing through the House of Commons.
The Scottish Schools' Adolescent Lifestyle and Substance Use Survey (SALSUS) 2002, published in November 2003 included the following data:
- Among 13-year-olds, nine per cent of girls and six per cent of boys were regular smokers. This has changed little since 1998;
- Among 15-year-olds, 24 per cent of girls and 16 per cent boys were regular smokers. For boys, there has been a significant decline since 1998, when 25 per cent were regular smokers. There has been little change in girls.