An overwhelming majority of Scots support a ban on shops displaying vapes and nicotine pouches, a poll has found.
The survey, commissioned by Action on Smoking and Health (Ash) Scotland and carried out by ScotPulse, found 86% backed keeping these products out of sight in the same way as cigarettes.
Ash Scotland said bright and colourful packaging was encouraging young people to use addictive nicotine products.
It said the display ban for tobacco proved “highly effective” in reducing youth exposure to cigarettes and “sets an exemplar for removing vapes and nicotine pouches from window displays and point-of-sale promotions, where they are often displayed alongside confectionery”.
Vaping displays can be colourful, visually prominent and eye-catching, increasing the visibility and appeal of nicotine products to children, young people and non-smokers
The Scottish Government previously committed to moving ahead with proposals for a vape display ban in its recently announced programme for government.
The charity, alongside the Society of Chief Officers of Trading Standards in Scotland (Scotss), has urged the Government to move quickly and ban displays for nicotine and vaping products in Scotland that align with the current approach for cigarettes.
The two organisations said applying the same rules for retailers across all tobacco and related products would help trading standards teams enforce regulations consistently while “reducing gaps that could be exploited by the tobacco and nicotine industry”.
A consultation is already under way by the UK and devolved governments on measures to limit the visibility of nicotine products.
Sheila Duffy, chief executive of Ash Scotland, said: “With 86% of adults polled in Scotland supporting measures to keep addictive, health-harming vapes and nicotine pouches hidden like tobacco in shops, we want the Government to make rapid progress in implementing this proposal, which is both effective and vital, to prevent the tobacco and nicotine industry from continuing to generate massive profits at a cost to the health of young people now and future generations.”
Scotss chairman Chris Bell said: “Vaping displays can be colourful, visually prominent and eye-catching, increasing the visibility and appeal of nicotine products to children, young people and non-smokers.
“Scotss considers restricting the prominent retail display of vapes to be an important starting point to reduce visibility and limit opportunities for these products to be promoted.”
ScotPulse polled 1,061 people over the age of 18 in Scotland between July 24 and 28.
Public health minister Maree Todd said: “We know that colourful packaging and displays of vapes are used as an enticement to children and young people, which is why we are taking action and consulting on options to address this issue.
“We will continue to work with Wales, Northern Ireland and England on developing measures around controlling how these products are marketed and sold in the future to help protect children and young people and reduce preventable harm in Scotland.”