Tobacco display ban

6 Mar 2015 12:44 PM

One month until small shop restrictions

Tobacco retailers are reminded that today marks one month to go until small shops will have to stop displaying tobacco products in Scotland.

From 6 April 2015, cigarettes, cigars and rolling tobacco will have to be covered up in all shops. This measure has been in place for large shops since 2013.

The Scottish Government introduced the legislation to reduce children and young people’s exposure to tobacco products.

All tobacco retailers in Scotland are registered with the government through the Scottish Tobacco Retailers Register. Retailers have been contacted to make them aware of the forthcoming display ban, and to let them know what is required.

Maureen Watt, Minister for Public Health, said:

“This is one of numerous measures we have introduced to try and reduce the appeal of smoking to young people. We want to create a tobacco-free generation in Scotland by 2034 – defined as having less than five per cent of the population smoking. To achieve this we need to stop young people from taking up the habit in the first place.

“Brightly coloured and well lit displays of cigarettes, in prominent positions in the shop, are only likely to increase the appeal of this deadly product. We must remember that tobacco kills half of all the people who use it, and it’s linked to 13,000 deaths in Scotland every year.

“I’d like to thank tobacco retailers for their cooperation and understanding in making the necessary changes to comply with this new policy.

“The display ban, alongside other measures such as plain packaging, will play an important part in a culture change in our attitudes to smoking.”