Alcohol and tobacco
Alcohol
The legal age for the purchase and consumption of alcohol in Scotland is 18.
It is widely available in pubs, bars, clubs, supermarkets and off licences (liquor stores).
There are two bars - Absorb and Centro - on the Pollock Halls site, serving both alcohol and soft drinks.
There is no accommodation at Edinburgh University which is specifically designated as "alcohol-free".
Accommodation Services encourages students who wish to consume alcohol to do so in a responsible manner.
Tobacco
In March 2006, new legislation aimed at completely eliminating smoking in public places came into force in Scotland.
Smoking is now completely banned in all bars, coffee bars, restaurants and common rooms.
Smoking is also banned in all bedrooms in residences such as Pollock Halls, Richmond Place, etc.
Some blocks of University flats, and many of the University residences including all of Pollock Halls, are designated as completely non-smoking areas.
Legislation is unlikely to apply to those University flats (in certain blocks only) which are specifically designated as being for smokers.
In virtually all the rest of the University, there is a non-smoking policy in force.
This article was published on Sep 11, 2008