The legal age at which cigarettes can be bought in Scotland is to be raised from 16 to 18, in line with England and Wales, public health minister Shona Robison said.

Health chiefs and anti-smoking campaignerswelcomed the announcement but retailers expressed concern about the dangers that shopkeepers face enforcing the move.

Speaking during a visit to Claypotts Castle Primary School in Dundee, Ms Robison said the measure would help improve the health of the nation.

She said: "We need to start with our young people and discourage them from starting to smoke in the first place.

"Raising the age will send a clear message to young people that smoking is highly dangerous.

"I am pleased by figures out just last week which showed a decrease in the number of teenagers smoking, and I am confident that today's announcement, combined with a wider package of measures including stricter enforcement, will contribute to an even greater reduction in the number of young people smoking."

An order was laid today in Parliament to amend the existing law on cigarette sales, allowing the age increase to 18 to come into force from October 1 this year.

The minister added that the Scottish Executive will continue to look at ways to help youngsters give up smoking, with recent figures showing that almost half of 15-year-old smokers want to.

Anti-smoking body Ash Scotland said the move sends out a "clear message" and brings Scotland into line with the rest of the UK.

Dr Laurence Gruer, director of public health science at Health Scotland, said: "Now we know how addictive and damaging to health smoking is, this change should help reinforce the message that cigarettes are best avoided altogether.

"However, raising the age in itself is not enough. Tougher enforcement is also needed to make it work."

But Scottish Retail Consortium director Fiona Moriarty said shop staff are regularly abused for refusing to sell cigarettes to under-16s.

She said: "Without a widespread communications campaign that could be worse as 16 and 17-year-olds are no longer able to buy legally."

The Scottish Grocers Federation said ministers must provide a free national proof-of-age card for all 15 to 25-year-olds to address this.

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