Legal smoking age Scotland

ColdAsIce · 26 Aug 2010 at 08:52

Can someone point me in the right direction to the information on the legal age to smoke in Scotland?

I thought it was raised to 18 but that might just be for purchasing cigarettes.

PapaLazaru · 26 Aug 2010 at 08:56

It is 18. Purchasing and smoking.

True_Scotsman · 26 Aug 2010 at 08:57

AFAIK its still 16+ for smoking but 18+ to buy them.

edit:- from wiki

United Kingdom

It is illegal to sell tobacco to anyone under the age of 18 in England and Wales[18] or in Scotland[19] (increased from 16 on 1 October 2007). Police constables and park keepers in uniform have a duty to confiscate tobacco or cigarettes from persons aged under 16 found smoking in a public place.[20]

The minimum age in Northern Ireland has been raised from 16 to 18 years on the 1st of September 2008.[citation needed]

It is, however, legal to smoke tobacco products from the age of 16 onwards, it is only illegal for shops to sell tobacco products to people under the age of 18.

Cosimo · 26 Aug 2010 at 08:58

It's 18 for purchase:

http://www.tobaccoagechange.co.uk/

aspirins · 26 Aug 2010 at 09:10

only buying age has increased to 18, smoking is still 16

ColdAsIce · 26 Aug 2010 at 09:13

What also interested me is this line on the wikipedia article:

Police constables and park keepers in uniform have a duty to confiscate tobacco or cigarettes from persons aged under 16 found smoking in a public place.

Ahleckz · 26 Aug 2010 at 12:40

Why you asking? Seems an odd thing to want to know.

Burnsy2023 · 26 Aug 2010 at 13:31

ColdAsIce said:
Police constables and park keepers in uniform have a duty to confiscate tobacco or cigarettes from persons aged under 16 found smoking in a public place.

Indeed, this was brought up in some training I had recently.

milkinc13 · 28 Aug 2010 at 14:01

right, so you can smoke at 16, but can buy any untill 18.
makes no sence to me, reason being how are you supposed to get the tabacco/cigarettes in the first place, as anyone who is old enough, buying on behalf of someone under age can be prococuted

Nexus · 28 Aug 2010 at 14:14

Agreed, that seems pretty stupid.

Ahleckz · 28 Aug 2010 at 14:17

milkinc13 said:
right, so you can smoke at 16, but can buy any untill 18.
makes no sence to me, reason being how are you supposed to get the tabacco/cigarettes in the first place, as anyone who is old enough, buying on behalf of someone under age can be prococuted

I just had a look at relevant statutes regarding this (namely the Children and Young Persons Act 1937) and I can't actually find that giving cigarettes to those under 18 is an illegal act. The sale is, but giving them I don't think breaches any law that I can find.