According to the health committee of the Scottish parliament, the proposed new tobacco laws should be strengthened such that they check adults from purchasing cigarettes for the less than 18-year-olds.

The suggestion came in the wake of the Holyrood's Health and Sport Committee's review of the Scottish Government's proposal of reining in the sale of cigarettes and tobacco to youngsters; more so as recent figures from health officials revealed that the number of young people smoking in Scotland had returned to a level last seen almost a decade back.

With the Scottish ministers looking at ways to reduce the proportion of young smokers to less than 23 percent by 2012, the committee recommended that buying cigarettes for the under-18s should be made a criminal offence.

In case the proposed legislation comes through, the government intends resorting to certain measures to ensure its effective implementation - like forbidding stores from displaying cigarettes and other tobacco products; banning cigarette vending machines; and introducing a registration system for tobacco retailers.

Commenting on the need for strengthening the tobacco laws, health committee convener and SNP MSP, Christine Grahame, said: "Everyone agreed that deterrents to stop young people smoking are necessary, and this is why we are calling for the bill to be amended to criminalize the act of buying cigarettes on behalf of under-18s."