Smoking

Patients and healthcare staff will no longer face second-hand smoke at hospital doors as a nationwide ban comes into effect tomorrow. The new legislation means anyone found lighting up within 15 metres of a hospital building could face a fixed penalty notice of £50 or a fine of up to £1,

A Spanish company that stopped paying employees during smoking breaks has won a case in the country's high court. Galp, an energy firm, said it was implementing domestic law when it began deducting time spent off-premises from employees' working days.

The legal smoking age would rise from 18 to 21 under new proposals being considered by the Scottish government, The Herald reports. The government will host a conference this year to discuss the increase as part of its aim to create a ‘tobacco-free generation’ by 2034.