Legislation restricting the sale of e-cigarettes to children has passed its first hurdle at Holyrood.
MSPs unanimously backed a Scottish government bill at its first stage that would ban under-18s from buying the devices and limit their advertising.
The Health (Tobacco, Nicotine etc and Care) (Scotland) Bill would also make smoking near hospital buildings a statutory offence.
In addition, the legislation would create criminal offences for health and social care workers who were found to be deliberately mistreating those in their care.
It would also place a duty on health and social care organisations to be open when a patient had suffered unintended harm during treatment or care.
Maureen Watt, the minister for public health, said: “Tobacco remains the biggest cause of preventable disease and