Call for tobacco bill backing

The Scottish National Party is publishing its bill

Doctors have urged MSPs not to kick moves to ban tobacco advertising in Scotland into touch by turning the issue into a political football.

The British Medical Association has called for cross-party support for a private member's bill being brought forward by the Scottish National Party.

The organisation's Scottish secretary, Dr Bill O'Neill, said a ban on adverts north of the border would save lives.

But he voiced fears that party politics could sabotage the move.

Nicola Sturgeon: "Concrete promise" needed

A member's bill launched by Scottish National Party health spokeswoman Nicola Sturgeon has not been supported by ministers at Holyrood.

Mr O'Neill said: "It is irrelevant who proposes this legislation - what is relevant is that we know this Bill will save lives."

The BMA argues that 13,000 people die in Scotland each year from tobacco-related diseases, and that Holyrood debates have shown a majority of MSPs in favour of a ban.

But Health Minister Susan Deacon warned there was a danger that the SNP move could be ineffective and unenforceable.

She also stressed that the UK Government had made "considerable efforts" to bring legislation through Westminster before the general election.

Cross-border complexities

At the launch of her Member's Bill in Edinburgh, Ms Sturgeon acknowledged that until a European-wide ban was achieved, there would be cross-border complexities.

"That would be the case even if the ban was a UK-wide ban," she said.

"But not being able to do everything is no excuse for not doing anything."

She added: "It would be bad enough if the Scottish Parliament had no power to do anything about it.

"But people would find it difficult to understand why, given that we have got power, that we choose not to exercise it."

Her Bill would specifically target cigarettes, and the glossy advertising of cigarettes to the young, she said.

The Bill would contain provisions for a ban on sponsorship agreements, but these would not be acted on until it became "practical" to do so through European action.

This is the opportunity that we have just now. This is the opportunity that must be grasped

Dr Bill O'Neill

Dr O'Neill was highly critical of Labour's failure to honour a promise to bring in a nationwide ban on tobacco advertising.

He said that should not stop Scotland taking independent action.

And he told BBC Scotland: "If this becomes a party political football I think that it is regrettable.

"It is a health issue, it is an opportunity to save lives - that is how it should be viewed.

"I would call on all politicians from all parties who have a commitment to the health of the people of Scotland to support some measure in the Scottish Parliament.

Devolved issue

"This is the opportunity that we have just now. This is the opportunity that must be grasped."

In January MSPs agreed to accept a Westminster bill on tobacco advertising - even though the issue is devolved to Holyrood.

However, the moves did not become law before the election and there was no mention of a ban in the Queen's Speech, which sets out the government's legislative agenda.

Liberal Democrat peer Lord Clement-Jones has brought forward a bill at Westminster calling for tobacco advertising to be banned across the UK.

However, Ms Sturgeon said there was no guarantee it would become law as it did not yet have government support.

Susan Deacon: Committed to ban

The Health Minister said she was committed to taking forward a bill to ban tobacco advertising in Scotland.

"The question is how we do that most effectively," Ms Deacon said.

"There is little point taking up the time and the resources of the Scottish Parliament attempting to put a law on the statute book that is neither effective nor enforceable.

"There is a real danger that we could do that."