The law is quite specific about how old you have to be before you buy cigarettes and where you can smoke once you've got them. It's well worth being clued up about what the law says so read on...
Public places
It is illegal to smoke in enclosed public places in Scotland, England and Wales.
Age
You need to be 18 to buy tobacco (same situation in England and Wales). It is illegal for shops and supermarkets to sell any tobacco products in Scotland to anyone under the age of 18.
Also, since the 1st April 2011 it has been illegal for anyone under 18 to buy or attempt to buy any tobacco products. This is to try and reduce the number of people exposed to smoking related diseases and to bring the law in line with alcohol.
The new law also means that if a police officer suspects that you are under 18 and in possession of cigarettes, tobacco or cigarette papers in a public place then they can confiscate them. If you don’t cooperate with the police and hand over the items or provide your name and address if required, you are committing an offence and you could face a fine.
You will need valid proof of age to prove your age if you want to buy cigarettes. If you need proof of age then it might be worth getting a Young Scot National Entitlement Card. It's free, PASS approved and you get loads of cool discounts as well. Call the Young Scot InfoLine for free on 0808 801 0338 (Mon- Fri 10am -6pm) for more information.
More help and information
For help in stopping smoking call the Smokeline on 0800 84 84 84 (9am- 9pm daily)
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