This means that from May 2017, cigarettes and tobacco are to be sold in plain olive green packages, which will feature large graphic images and warnings about the negative health effects of smoking. This combined picture and text health warning will cover 65 per cent of the front and back of cigarette packs as well as roll-your own tobacco packages.
Ten-packs of cigarettes which are particularly appealing to younger age groups with limited spending power will be banned, and loose tobacco will also only be sold in a minimum of 30 gram packets.
Promotional or misleading descriptions on packaging, including “light” “natural” and “organic” will also be banned. Menthol cigarettes are also set to be phased out and will be completely prohibited from May 20, 2020. Some flavoured cigarettes and roll-your-own tobacco with appealing flavours including fruit and chocolate will also be banned.
The new laws came into effect in May 2016 but shops were given a one-year transitional period for the sell-through of all old stock.
The new law does not ban e-cigarettes but, for the first time, certain safety and quality requirements have been introduced for e-cigarettes containing nicotine.From 1st April 2017 businesses are required to register if they sell Nicotine Vapour Products (NVP) or tobacco. If businesses are currently registered to sell tobacco but also sell NVP then they must update their registration to include NVP at www.tobaccoregisterscotland.org .
It is already a criminal offence to sell tobacco to a person under the age of 18. It will now be illegal to sell NVP to a person under the age of 18. Traders (selling tobacco and/or NVP) will be required to have an age verification policy in operation. It will be a criminal offence not to have this in place. Stirling and Clackmannanshire Trading Standards Service can offer advice in relation to the implementation of this policy and can be contacted by email tradingstandards@stirling.gov.uk or by phoning 01786 404040 and asking to get put through to Trading Standards.
New legislation for tobacco and 'vape' products
New legislation has been introduced for tobacco and nicotine vapour product sales.