WIREDGOV

Scotland committed to introducing standardised packaging.

The Scottish Government has reaffirmed its commitment to introducing standardised packaging to prevent young people from starting to smoke.

Speaking about the Department of Health’s decision to wait until standardised packaging in Australia can be measured before making a final decision on this policy Minister for Public Health, Michael Matheson said:

“It is disappointing that the UK Government has decided not to take action on the standardised packaging of tobacco products.

“The Scottish Government remains committed to introducing standardised packaging, given the strong evidence to support the impact it will have on preventing young people from starting to smoke.

“We will now identify an appropriate timescale to introduce legislation on standardised packaging to the Scottish Parliament.”

Notes to editors

Scotland launched its ambitious new tobacco control strategy in March 2013. This strategy saw Scotland become the third nation in the world to set a target to become tobacco-free – by having less than five per cent the population choosing to smoke by 2034. The strategy also set out the Scottish Government’s support for the introduction of standardised packaging and education programmes to prevent young people from starting to smoke.

In February, the Scottish Government announced that the ban on open display of tobacco products in large shops and sales from self-service tobacco vending machines will be introduced on 29 April 2013.

Report from the Public Health Research Consortium (PHRC) on the evidence on standardised tobacco packaging.