A new charity leader has pointed to legislation brought in in New Zealand.
Scotland could regain its reputation as a leader in public health if it were to emulate world-leading smoking laws recently introduced in New Zealand, the new boss of a national charity has claimed.
David McColgan, the new head of British Heart Foundation (BHF) Scotland, has said he would like to see Scotland’s attempts at curbing tobacco use go further, claiming there is appetite for such a move in government.
Earlier this year politicians in New Zealand brought in world-first legislation that will stop the next generation from ever being able to legally buy cigarettes, while vaping will remain legal.
The government in New Zealand said the decision would break the “disgusting and bizarre” hold of cigarette companies.
In Scotland a ban on smoking in public places came into force in spring 2006, before the rest of the UK followed thereafter.
Research shows the number of heart attacks fell by 74% from 1990 and 2014 in Scotland, with reductions in the numbers smoking cited as one of the major contributory factors.
Despite this, coronary heart disease is still the number one killer in Scotland. Cigarette smokers are two to four times more likely to get heart disease than non-smokers.
While overall smoking rates have declined in Scotland, differences by deprivation have increased, with rates highest in the most deprived areas, highlighting that smoking remains an ongoing health inequality challenge.
Mr McColgan, who is also chair of ASH Scotland, said Maree Todd, Minister for Public Health, was "really passionate" about the issue.
He told the Herald: "If we could get everyone to stop smoking today, heart disease rates would plummet, so would cancer and a whole range of things.
"There is new tobacco strategy being developed at the minute.
"We've seen a lot of exciting developments around tobacco and New Zealand is leading the way.
"The three measures they are looking at are taking nicotine out of cigarettes and they want to go from something like 5000 tobacco retailers to 900.
"They are also looking at incremental age so every year they are going to increase the age of sale so theoretically people born on a certain date will never be able to buy cigarettes."
Asked if Scotland could follow their lead he said: "I think the Scottish Government has got a strong record in tobacco control and I think there is an appetite there to be that public health nation again.
"Maree Todd is really passionate about this. There is great work out there that can evolve in Scotland."
