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Official Report: search what was said in Parliament

The Official Report is a written record of public meetings of the Parliament and committees.  

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Dates of parliamentary sessions
  1. Session 1: 12 May 1999 to 31 March 2003
  2. Session 2: 7 May 2003 to 2 April 2007
  3. Session 3: 9 May 2007 to 22 March 2011
  4. Session 4: 11 May 2011 to 23 March 2016
  5. Session 5: 12 May 2016 to 5 May 2021
  6. Current session: 12 May 2021 to 7 April 2025
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Displaying 772 contributions

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Health, Social Care and Sport Committee

Tobacco and Vapes Bill

Meeting date: 17 December 2024

Jenni Minto

I am sorry, Dr Gulhane—I lost the train of that question.

Health, Social Care and Sport Committee

Tobacco and Vapes Bill

Meeting date: 17 December 2024

Jenni Minto

There are a lot of questions wound up in that. I go back to the development that we are currently doing on the register of tobacco and vape products. That involves changing a platform, which will become a much more useful tool for putting out information to retailers and for getting information back from retailers. The register is really important.

As with any change in regulation, if the bill goes through, we will need to work closely with retailers and have those conversations to ensure that they know about the legislation. That is absolutely key to making this work.

With regard to ensuring that parents are aware of the impacts of tobacco and vaping, I have already highlighted project youth, also known as the Icelandic model, which has had amazing results in improving the health of younger people. In Scotland, at the beginning of this year, we had the take hold campaign, which was specifically aimed at parents and carers to ensure that they understand the impact of vaping on young people’s health. I was really pleased that women’s football used the advert at their cup final at Tynecastle, which pushed it out to an audience that needs to be aware of the impacts.

I also refer to the answers that I gave to Mr FitzPatrick and Mr Whittle—education through curriculum for excellence ensures that children understand the impacts of things on their health.

Health, Social Care and Sport Committee

Tobacco and Vapes Bill

Meeting date: 17 December 2024

Jenni Minto

Snus has been banned since 1992.

Health, Social Care and Sport Committee

Tobacco and Vapes Bill

Meeting date: 17 December 2024

Jenni Minto

I agree that education is incredibly important. In four or five local authorities, we have a pilot called project youth, which is also known as the Icelandic model, and it works directly with schools, the parents and the wider community on issues such as health, including the negativities around smoking and the impact that it can have on children’s lives as they grow up.

Moreover, we have, through curriculum for excellence, a lot of teaching on health improvements and on things that can support a person’s health and other things that can have negative health impacts. I am very much old enough to remember the snus that we were talking about earlier, but I also remember how, when I was in primary school and doing a project using advertisements, all the ads were for cigarettes.

That situation has completely changed now. I think that we have made a really important step forward in schools, and it is something that we need to continue. When the Scottish Children’s Parliament was at Cabinet a couple of weeks ago, one of the things that its members had a conversation directly with the cabinet secretary on was reducing the use of vapes, because they felt so strongly and passionately about the issue.

Health, Social Care and Sport Committee

Tobacco and Vapes Bill

Meeting date: 17 December 2024

Jenni Minto

The retail side is handled through our register, which I talked about earlier and which includes shops that stock vapes. With regard to spaces and where people can vape, as I said, we will consult on that once the bill has passed. With regard to displays and flavours, there is UK-wide legislation on that, and we will work with the UK Government on its implementation.

Health, Social Care and Sport Committee

Tobacco and Vapes Bill

Meeting date: 17 December 2024

Jenni Minto

As I said in my opening remarks, between 80 and 90 per cent of people who start smoking do so before they are 21. From my perspective, it is important to recognise that and to recognise the importance of prevention before people start. You raise really important points about the recognition of products. If you go into anywhere that sells tobacco, the grey blinds are pulled down and you cannot see the products. With vapes, there is basically a rainbow of colours and flavours that are very attractive to young people. Evidence would show that flavours such as candy floss, gummy bear and watermelon are there to attract children. That is why it is so important to have UK-wide legislation, because it gives consistency across the four nations for consumers and for retailers.

Health, Social Care and Sport Committee

Tobacco and Vapes Bill

Meeting date: 17 December 2024

Jenni Minto

We are working just now—because it is part of our tobacco and vaping framework, which was launched last year—to ensure that we have a register that is fit for purpose, not only for those of us who are tracking the retail elements of nicotine products but for retailers, to ensure that they get the right information. The investment is going into the register just now. Of the four nations, we are the only one that has a register for tobacco and vapes, and that is very positive.

Health, Social Care and Sport Committee

Tobacco and Vapes Bill

Meeting date: 17 December 2024

Jenni Minto

It is included in the legislation so that it is all in the same legislation and so that there is consistency.

Health, Social Care and Sport Committee

Tobacco and Vapes Bill

Meeting date: 17 December 2024

Jenni Minto

I thank Gillian Mackay for that question and empathise with her experiences. I see the same thing outside hospitals. I am pleased that we are working with Action on Smoking and Health Scotland, which is doing a report on the impact of smoke-free zones outside hospitals, and that work is also being extended to other spaces. However, I have to be clear that we will not be introducing any additional spaces without proper and robust consultation and engagement with all stakeholders and the general public.

Health, Social Care and Sport Committee

Tobacco and Vapes Bill

Meeting date: 17 December 2024

Jenni Minto

I cannot respond with regard to the evidence for banning snus, but I remember very clearly back in the 1990s when it was a problem, and there were a lot of news stories about snus. I remember the impact that it had—mouth cancer, for example. We are looking at tobacco, vapes and other nicotine products. As I said in my introduction, this is positive legislation that looks to stop people before they start and ensure that young people who are born after 1 January 2009 do not have the opportunity to use those nicotine products. Doing that is incredibly important. I do not know whether Ruth Foulis has anything to add in answer to Dr Gulhane’s questions on snus.