Tobacco use: policy context

The Government is committed to reducing smoking and the associated burden of death and disease. This is demonstrated by the publication of various policy documents over recent years, including:

Smoking kills: A white paper on tobacco (published December 1998):

• This set out the Government’s strategy for tackling smoking in the UK. It highlighted three clear objectives: to reduce smoking among children and young people; to help adults – especially the most disadvantaged – to give up smoking; and, to offer particular help to pregnant women who smoke.

Towards a healthier Scotland: A white paper on health (published February 1999):

• This set out the Government’s vision for improving health for all in Scotland, with the overarching aim of reducing health inequalities. The white paper highlighted smoking as a priority area for action and set targets to reduce smoking in Scotland.

Our national health: A plan for action, a plan for change (published December 2000):

• This re-affirmed the commitment to reduce smoking in Scotland.

Cancer in Scotland: Action for change (published July 2001):

• This set out the Government’s plans to improve the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer in Scotland. Smoking was identified as by far the largest preventable cause of cancer in Scotland.

Improving health in Scotland: The challenge (published March 2003):

• This highlighted further actions to improve the health of the people of Scotland and identified smoking as one of the key areas for action. It included a commitment to review national tobacco control policy. NHS Health Scotland and ASH Scotland were invited to undertake this review.

Reducing smoking and tobacco-related harm: A key to transforming Scotland's health (2,040Kb) (published 2003):

• This report outlined the findings of the NHS Health Scotland / ASH Scotland review. The review considered current prevention, control and treatment policies and services in Scotland and made recommendations about what further action should be taken.

A breath of fresh air for Scotland: Tobacco control action plan (published January 2004):

• This was the Scottish Executive’s response to the NHS Health Scotland / ASH Scotland review. It offers a programme for action covering prevention and education, protection and controls, and the expansion of smoking cessation services. It builds on action to date, including new and expanded cessation services, health education campaigns, nicotine replacement therapy on prescription, a ban on tobacco advertising, enhanced health warnings on cigarette packets and tobacco test purchasing pilots.

Smoking, Health and Social Care (Scotland) Act 2005:

• In June 2004, the Scottish Executive launched a wide-ranging consultation on smoking in public places to help inform future policy on reducing exposure to second-hand smoke. On 10 November 2004, the First Minister announced the Government’s intention to introduce a comprehensive ban on smoking in enclosed public spaces. The Smoking, Health and Social Care (Scotland) Bill was published on 17 December 2004 and formally proposed that smoking should be banned in enclosed public places such as workplaces, pubs and restaurants. The Bill was approved by MSPs on 30 June 2005 and received Royal Assent on 5 August 2005. The new Act came into force at 6am on 26 March 2006. For further information on the Act, including guidance on compliance and national compliance data, see the Scottish Government's Clearing the air website. The website also includes details of smoke-free legislation in other countries of the world.

Towards a future without tobacco (published November 2006):

• This report was produced by the Smoking Prevention Working Group (SPWG), a sub-group of the Scottish Ministerial Working Group on Tobacco Control. The SPWG was set up to advise the Scottish Executive on the development of a new long term smoking prevention strategy, with a particular focus on young people. The report makes a series of recommendations, including new targets to reduce smoking among young people, raising the minimum age of purchase of tobacco from 16 to 18 and prohibiting the display of cigarettes at the point of sale. A consultation was carried out on the report's recommendations and the consultation responses are available on the Scottish Government website. A separate consultation was carried out on the specific recommendation to increase the minimum age of purchase of tobacco from 16 to 18 and the consultation responses for this are also available on the Scottish Government website. On 1 October 2007 the minimum purchase age for tobacco was increased from 16 to 18 in both Scotland and England and Wales.