The British Medical Association (BMA) is continuing its campaign against passive smoking with a new call for Scotland to take the lead in legislating for smoke-free public places, according to the BMA News.

The Scottish Executive will be publishing its smoking strategy next week, although immediate legislation looks unlikely.

However, Scottish National Party MSP, Stewart Maxwell, has put forward a private member’s bill, calling for a ban on smoking where food is served, which the BMA has urged the Scottish executive to back.

Sinead Jones, director of the BMA-funded Tobacco Control Resource Centre, said: “We want more action and less talk. We want legislation to ban smoking tobacco in enclosed public places to protect people from the effects of passive smoking.”

The BMA is also seeking an MP to adopt its bill to protect children from passive smoking in public places and take it forward as a private member’s bill in Westminster.