Tobacco could be sold in plain packaging under government proposals

THE Scottish Government has today launched a consultation on whether tobacco should be sold in plain packaging.

Ministers have worked with the Department of Health, the Welsh Government and the Northern Ireland Executive to launch a UK wide consultation on the issue.

The consultation will ask the public whether they think plain packaging will have an impact on people’s health and reduce the uptake of smoking.

It suggests for the first time what requirements for plain packaging could consist of, including no branding, a uniform colour and a standard font and text for any writing on the pack.

Smoking accounts for over 13,000 deaths in Scotland each year.