NHS Highland has signed up to a campaign to tackle buying tobacco or cigarettes for under-18s.
The health board’s improvement team and Highland Council’s trading standards team have been working with ASH (Action on Smoking and Health) Scotland to support the charity’s #notafavour initiative.
And a series of videos has been produced, with the help of students at Inverness College UHI, to target the campaign to local areas in Highland via social media.
ASH Scotland will be promoting the videos in the coming weeks on their Facebook and Instagram accounts.
Inverness College UHI’s wellbeing officer Claire Killburn-Young said: “Inverness College UHI is also a member of ASH Scotland’s Charter for a Tobacco-free Generation, so it’s an issue we are really passionate about.
“We hope these videos have the desired effect and discourage adults form purchasing tobacco for young people.”
David MacKenzie, Highland Council trading standards manager, added that buying tobacco or cigarettes for children is illegal and doing so could result in a £200 spot fine.
NHS Highland’s health improvement specialist Eve MacLeod said: “We hope that the videos will encourage adults to think twice about buying tobacco or cigarettes for young people, because that is not doing young people a favour.”
ASH Scotland stressed that most smokers start as children and that the majority subsequently insist they want to kick the habit.
Anyone who wants to report this activity should visit www.highland.gov.uk/agerestrictedsales
A number of pavement stickers have also been provided from ASH Scotland that will be placed around the Inverness area with the #notafavour message.
