Further actions to stop young people taking up smoking and raise a tobacco-free generation have been outlined.
The Scottish Government’s updated Tobacco Control Action Plan sets out 44 specific actions to address health inequalities and cut smoking rates in the communities where people find it most difficult to quit.
These include legislating to restrict smoking around hospital buildings, banning tobacco in prisons and establishing a new national brand for the stop-smoking service.
It also outlines media campaigns around discouraging smoking in school grounds and communal stairwells and preventing young people from taking up the habit.
In 2013, ministers set out plans to create a tobacco-free generation, meaning that when children born in 2013 reached the age of 21, their generation would not be smokers.
Public Health Minister Aileen Campbell said:
“We all want to give our children the best possible start in life, and to protect them from harm as they grow up. One way we can all help with this is to fight the influence of tobacco over children and young people.
“Five years ago we set an ambitious target to create a tobacco-free generation by 2034. We’ve made good progress – halving the number of children exposed to second hand smoke, introducing plain packaging and cracking down on cigarette sales to under-18s. Now it’s time to set out our next steps.
“The action plan I’m publishing demonstrates our commitment to the new Public Health Priorities which include an ambition for a Scotland free from the harms caused by alcohol, tobacco and other drugs. All of these together can create a healthier Scotland.”
View the Tobacco Control Action Plan here.
