Cigarette buying age raised to 18

A new law banning the sale of tobacco products to anyone under the age of 18 has come into force.

The legal age for buying cigarettes was previously 16 but now any retailer caught selling to under-18s risks a fine of up to £2,500.

It is thought that as many as one in 10 under-15s smoke but prosecution rates for shops which sell cigarettes to under-16's have tended to be low.

The new legislation has been broadly welcomed by health organisations.

MSPs voted unanimously for the move last month, which follows the ban on smoking in enclosed public places which came into force in March 2006.