Smoking: Majority of Scots back law change on sales
Nine out of ten Scots support changing the law so it is an offence for adults to buy cigarettes for youngsters, a poll reveals.
The survey, published by anti-smoking group Ash Scotland, also found that four out of five smokers backed such a move.
The Scottish Parliament has already passed legislation that will enable adults to be prosecuted for buying cigarettes for children, in line with similar laws for alcohol. This will now come into force on April 1 2011.
A total of 89% of people surveyed agreed that businesses should have to have a licence to sell tobacco, which could be removed if they were caught selling to under-age youngsters more than once.
The research found 82% supported the law banning smoking in enclosed public places, although this fell to 57% amongst those who smoke, with 35% of smokers totally opposed to the ban.
It also found 80% of people backed increasing access to local stop-smoking services in the NHS, with 68% of smokers in support.
Ash Scotland chief executive Sheila Duffy said: "These results show the high support that both smokers and non-smokers in Scotland have for continuing action against the harm caused by smoking.
"Scots are very aware of the harm caused by smoking, the deaths and illness due to smoking and the toll it takes on our society, our communities and our families.
"Both smokers and non-smokers alike would like to see changes in Scotland. It is clear that respondents are concerned about preventing young people taking up smoking and want to see restrictions which will stop young people accessing cigarettes. For smokers, they also very much support NHS stop-smoking services, which is unsurprising when 69% of smokers would like to quit."
Ms Duffy said the poll showed there "continues to be major support for our smoke-free public places".
She added: "There is much we can do to reduce the 13,500 deaths caused by smoking each year, prevent young people starting and help smokers to quit. There is much public support for a range of measures to crack down on smoking and tobacco in Scotland.
"We need these issues taken seriously by our policy makers. For those measures that are being introduced, we need them fully enforced and supported, and others should be considered as part of a new national tobacco control strategy."
A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: "Giving up smoking is the biggest single thing that anyone can do to improve their health and we welcome this public support for anti-smoking measures.
"We are working hard to build on the success of the ban on smoking in public places, including the introduction of ban on proxy purchase of cigarettes and a ban on both cigarette displays and sales from vending machines.
"In addition, our measures protect responsible retailers through the introduction next year of a registration scheme. This means that - for the first time - anyone found selling tobacco illegally can be fined up to £20,000 and face six months in prison."
She added: "We're also investing heavily in stop smoking services - more than £40m over the current spending period - to enable NHS Boards to provide appropriate, accessible services to help people who want to stop."
