Britain’s parliament approves a lifetime ban on cigarette sales for anyone born after 2008, a landmark move for public health.
LONDON: Britain’s parliament has approved a historic bill to create a smoke-free generation by banning cigarette sales for anyone born after 1 January 2009.
The Tobacco and Vapes Bill will prevent those currently aged 17 and under from ever legally buying cigarettes in their lifetime.
Health minister Wes Streeting called it a “historic moment for the nation’s health”. He said it would lead to the “first smoke-free generation, protected from a lifetime of addiction and harm”.
The legislation also grants the government new powers to restrict vape flavours and packaging. It will allow ministers to extend indoor smoking bans to outdoor areas like playgrounds and school gates.
Vaping will be banned in places where smoking is already prohibited. The measures aim to ramp up preventative health and ease pressure on the state-funded National Health Service.
Hazel Cheeseman of Action on Smoking and Health told LBC radio the bill was a “decisive turning point for public health”. The public health charity director welcomed the landmark legislation.
The Labour government last year introduced a ban on the sale of disposable vapes. These cheap, colourful products had become popular with young people.
Smoking causes around 75,000 deaths annually in England. It is responsible for approximately a quarter of all deaths, according to NHS figures.
New Zealand became the first country to enact a similar law in 2022. Its newly elected conservative coalition repealed the legislation less than a year later in November 2023.
The Maldives implemented a comparable ban last November. It prohibits cigarette sales to anyone born after 1 January 2007.
The UK bill now awaits royal assent before becoming law. This final step is considered a formality.
