22 May 2010

Highlands and Islands Labour MSP Rhoda Grant has urged retailers in Argyll and Bute to be more responsible after a survey revealed that many were prepared to sell cigarettes to children.

Argyll and Bute Council study asked volunteers aged between 14 and 16 to attempt to buy cigarettes from local retailers.

Some 45% of the 89 premises tested sold cigarettes to the volunteers, who were aged 14-16, without asking any questions.

This was despite the council's trading standards team writing to over 150 of the area’s tobacco retailers to inform them that the exercise was to take place.

Under the Children and Young Persons (Scotland) Act 1937, it is an offence to sell cigarettes to anyone under the age of 18.

New legislation implemented by the Scottish Parliament will see the banning of cigarette vending machines, a ban on the display of tobacco products at retail level and a registration scheme for sellers of tobacco products, involving fines of up to £20,000 and 6 months imprisonment where unregistered or banned traders continue to sell.

Rhoda Grant said: "Retailers have a responsibility to train their staff to challenge youngsters for proof of age when they attempt top buy cigarettes and I hope they take this responsibility seriously.

"Access to tobacco is rightly restricted for the good of children’s health and any retailers that sell cigarettes to children will rightly feel the full force of the law."

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