A ban comes in place today, 5th of September 2022, on smoking within hospital grounds. Anyone found lighting up within fifteen metres of a hospital building could face a fixed penalty notice of £50 or a fine of up to £1,000.

This is now a law and is enforceable if anyone lights up within NHS Scotland hospital settings.

Commenting on the new law the independent Scottish Charity ,Action on Smoking and Health (Scotland) ASH Scotland‘s Chief Executive Sheila Duffy said:

“Extending current legislation to include outdoor areas will have the positive impact of protecting people from the harmful effects of breathing in toxic tobacco smoke through vents, windows or doorways while they are being treated and recovering in hospital. 

“We urge people who smoke to be considerate in remaining outside the 15-metre perimeter, ensuring hospital patients do not face unnecessary additional risks to their health caused by inhaling harmful substances.

“This is particularly important as Scotland challenges the normalisation of smoking on our journey towards becoming tobacco-free.” 

Smoking remains a leading cause of preventable disease and premature death in Scotland . There are around 10,000 smoking related deaths every year and 35,000 hospital admissions.

The Scottish Government Minister for Public Health , Maree Todd said:

“Everyone knows that smoking is bad for our health and hospital patients in particular should be protected from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke.

“This new law is the latest step in our bold plan to make Scotland tobacco-free by 2034 – building on our dedicated stop-smoking services and early intervention measures to stop youngsters picking up the habit altogether.

“Anyone looking to quit can contact the NHS QuitYourWay Helpline or speak to their local pharmacy to discuss the range of help available.”

Links:

• Quit Your Way Scotland
• Hospital smoking ban: public information