Chamber
Plenary, 22 Feb 2007
22 Feb 2007 · S2 · Plenary
Item of business
SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE
Children's Health
Health and Community Care
Gordon Jackson is right to highlight the importance of those substances. A considerable amount of work is under way in respect of both alcohol and tobacco. We are in the midst of consultation on the recommendations in the report of our expert group on smoking prevention, which focuses particularly on young people because it recognises that most smokers start smoking in their teens, regret it and seek to stop thereafter. It is critical that we break the habit of cigarette smoking in that age group.
One of the report's recommendations is that we should raise from 16 to 18 the age at which people may buy tobacco. There are several other recommendations on the sale of tobacco products to young people and on enforcement. We are seeking opinions on all those matters.
We are certainly minded to support more effective enforcement, in respect of use of both alcohol and tobacco. Andy Kerr today announced the roll-out of test purchasing of alcohol by under-18s throughout Scotland, following the successful pilot in Fife in recent months. A similar test-purchasing approach has been taken to tobacco, which has helped us to improve the effectiveness of enforcement in that area, too.
One of the report's recommendations is that we should raise from 16 to 18 the age at which people may buy tobacco. There are several other recommendations on the sale of tobacco products to young people and on enforcement. We are seeking opinions on all those matters.
We are certainly minded to support more effective enforcement, in respect of use of both alcohol and tobacco. Andy Kerr today announced the roll-out of test purchasing of alcohol by under-18s throughout Scotland, following the successful pilot in Fife in recent months. A similar test-purchasing approach has been taken to tobacco, which has helped us to improve the effectiveness of enforcement in that area, too.
In the same item of business
5. Gordon Jackson (Glasgow Govan) (Lab ):
Lab
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide an update on the steps it is taking to improve the health of children in our communities, schools and h...
The Deputy Minister for Health and Community Care (Lewis Macdonald):
Lab
We are working to improve children's health in all those settings, for example through parents and children together teams in Glasgow, which provide intensiv...
Gordon Jackson:
Lab
I appreciate what is being done, but I could not help but note that in an earlier answer from the minister to Rosie Kane on the same subject, he mentioned al...
Lewis Macdonald:
Lab
Gordon Jackson is right to highlight the importance of those substances. A considerable amount of work is under way in respect of both alcohol and tobacco. W...