Ban on way for cigarette vending machines

SNP to include measure in strict new laws to tackle smoking among young

By Cameron Brooks

Published:

Cigarette vending machines could be banned under strict new laws being drawn up by the SNP to tackle smoking, it emerged last night.

The Scottish Government confirmed it was considering a ban in an attempt to stop teenagers taking up the habit.

A spokeswoman said the measure will be included in the provisions of the proposed Health (Scotland) Bill which is to be introduced early next year.

Public Health Minister Shona Robison has already vowed to introduce stricter controls on vending machines that sell tobacco.

Labour MSPs are understood to be supportive of the plans which are backed by health professionals such as the Royal College of Nursing and the British Medical Association Scotland.

The Liberal Democrats are also backing tighter controls to “restrict access” to children and young people who find it easier to buy cigarettes in machines than shops in wake of the purchase age being increased from 16 to 18.

Studies show that one in 10 regular smokers aged 13-15 buy cigarettes from vending machines.

A Scottish Government spokesman said: “Banning vending machines is under active consideration as part of our Health Bill.”

SNP MSP Kenneth Gibson, who has been working with Ms Robison on the issue, said: “I welcome the government’s support for controls on the sale of tobacco from vending machines.

“It may be getting more difficult for people under the legal age to buy cigarettes over the counter, but it is still easy to access them by using vending machines.

“With access, there follows temptation and then consumption.”

The news will be welcomed by a consortium of health organisations who have joined forces to lobby the Scottish Parliament for support.

They include Cancer Research UK, Asthma UK Scotland, The Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation, the Royal Environmental Health Institute and the Royal College of Physicians.

The organisations fear that the increased purchase age and banning point of sale tobacco advertising displays in shops “could cause a proportion of young people who get tobacco from vending machines to rise”.

“Like other hazardous substances, such as solvents, tobacco is simply too dangerous a product to be sold in vending machines,” they said in a joint statement.

A Liberal Democrat spokes-woman said: “It is too easy for under-age smokers to get their hands on cigarettes and we think banning vending machines will also cut the number of people who smoke socially when they drink.”

Conservative health spokeswoman Mary Scanlon said she and her colleagues would be examining the issue closely but wanted to see concrete evidence that vending machines are linked to young children taking up smoking before drawing any conclusions.

A spokesman for the Labour Party said: “We are examining this seriously.”

NHS Highland’s director of public health Dr Eric Baijal said: “Restricting availability would reduce smoking and ultimately save lives.

“It’s also difficult to police who uses vending machines making them a weak link in our efforts to protect the health of young people.”