Docs In Scotland Want Cigarette Buying Permissible Only To People Aged 18 And Over

Doctors in Scotland are calling for an increase in the age from 16 to 18 to be able to legally buy cigarettes. This is the latest attempt to deter young people from getting hooked on cigarettes.

This call was made at the opening of the annual conference of BMA Scotland. A report released on the occasion said that the current law of 16 year olds being allowed to buy cigarettes was made in 1937, when the dangers of smoking were still unknown.

The report said that 19 per cent of 15-year-olds and 6 per cent of 13-year-olds in Scotland have become regular smokers. Reducing the accessibility to cigarettes would help young people kick the habit, the report added.

"By raising the purchase age of cigarettes to 18, ministers would send a clear message that Scotland considers tobacco use among young people to be a problem that must be addressed. We know that this approach works in discouraging young people from smoking," said Dr Peter Terry, chairman of BMA Scotland.