The Scottish Government suggestion to ban tobacco displays were branded by tradesmen an "unproven trick". The survey suggested 75 percent of small storekeepers in Scotland believe that the display ban will directly threaten their business, while 89 percent said they believed that the government had not listened to their opinions.

And six in every ten retailers are worried that the display ban will take trade away from them to larger stores.

The poll questioned 83 Scottish retailers, and found that 54 percent of them believe the display ban may increase retail crime.

The ban plan has been put forward by the Scottish Government in the Tobacco and Primary Medical Services Bill, which intended to control sales of tobacco and cigarettes to minors.

But Fiona Barrett, a shopkeeper in Glasgow and a spokeswoman for the Tobacco Retailers Alliance in Scotland, said that the survey supported their argument that "a ban on tobacco displays will put many independent shopkeepers out of business". Imperial Tobacco told the government that it must respect "freedom of contest" when supposing the possible ban.

Ms Barrett added: "If the government is serious about tackling youth smoking, it should not be wasting time on unproven gimmicks like banning tobacco displays as it is preposterous to state that young people take up smoking because they see it on display in shops. They start smoking because they want to look older or because of peer pressure."

If the bill is passed, large retailers will have until 2011 to implement the ban, while small stores will have until 2013.

The Government wants to ban displays for to reduce youth smoking, but the evidence from Canada shows that youth smoking levels went down more and faster in provinces where tobacco was still on display than in those where tobacco displays were banned.

There is no evidence that a ban on displays reduces youth smoking and that is why New Zealand recently left proposals to introduce a ban.

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