Smoking is one of the leading causes of preventable illness and early death in Scotland.
Our vision – set out in our tobacco and vaping framework - is a Scotland free from tobacco by 2034, with smoking rates below 5% across the population.
Actions
To achieve this, we’re taking action – both UK-wide and Scotland-specific – including:
- progressing plans to prevent anyone born after 2009 from ever legally being sold tobacco products
- action on vaping, including work to tackle youth vaping and a ban on single-use vapes
- helping people trying to give up smoking, for example through the Quit Your Way stop smoking service
- expanding our tobacco and vapes retailers register to cover more products
This builds on previous action which has included:
- introducing stricter rules on buying and selling vapes
- raising the legal age to buy tobacco from 16 to 18
- banning smoking around hospital buildings
Background
We published our Tobacco and vaping framework: roadmap to 2034 in 2023. This explained that smoking caused one in five deaths in Scotland - 8,000 a year.
Bills and legislation
The UK-wide Tobacco and Vapes Bill, progressing through parliament, aims to reduce smoking rates and tackle youth vaping.
The Health (Tobacco, Nicotine etc. and Care) (Scotland) Act 2016 introduced stricter rules around the sale of tobacco and vapes.
The ban on single use vapes has been taken forward using powers under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
Contact
Email: tobaccocontrolteam@gov.scot
Tel: 0131 244 2169
Post:
Tobacco Control Team
3EN, St Andrews House
Regent Road
Edinburgh
EH1 3DG