A bill banning the sale and supply of tobacco and vape products to anyone born in 2009 or later has passed the UK Parliament and is awaiting formal approval from the King.
Its goal is to create a “smoke-free generation,” meaning that anyone who is currently 17 or younger will never be able to legally buy cigarettes or vape products when they grow older. The law will apply in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
The United Kingdom is a country where 10% of adults smoke (5.3 million people). Smoking causes 64,000 deaths each year, making it the leading preventable cause of death, while costing the country’s GDP around $29 billion annually through pressure on the healthcare system and lost productivity.
New Zealand became the first country to pass a generational smoking ban in 2022, but it was repealed the following year after a change of government.
Beyond the ban, the legislation introduces new licensing requirements for retailers of such products, mandatory product information, tighter controls on advertising and promotion, and additional restrictions on smoking and vaping in public spaces.
The UK is not the first country to move in this direction. Last year, the Maldives enacted a law banning smoking for anyone born in 2007 or later, while New Zealand implemented the world’s first generational smoking ban in 2022.
However, that legislation was repealed a year later by the new government — a move that may be linked to the influence of the tobacco industry lobby, according to the New York Times, and could highlight the difficulties the UK may also face in pursuing similar efforts.
Source: New York Times
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