Following months of debate and legislation, the government’s plans to create a “smoke-free generation” is one step closer to fruition, as MPs from across the country have backed the ban on cigarettes for anyone born in or after 2009. Named The Tobacco and Vapes Bill, there’s a majority of support from the House of Commons, with 383 votes to 67.
The plans, which were publically endorsed by Rishi Sunak and King Charles III, hope to reduce the number of smoking-related deaths with stricter laws in place concerning the purchasing of tobacco, cigarettes, and vapes.
Although the UK has seen a decrease in the consumption of cigarettes and tobacco, there are rising concerns about the dramatic increase in vaping among young people aged 11-17. This new smoking ban plans to cut out the habit for the next generation, and here’s everything you need to know:
What is the smoking ban exactly?
Otherwise known as The Tobacco and Vapes Bill, this new smoking ban ensures that anyone turning 15 this year (born in or after 2009) will not be able to purchase tobacco products and cigarettes, as well as harsher policies on vapes to make them less appealing to children and young adults.
Under this new law, the legal age for cigarette sales, which is presently 18, will increase by one year annually. The smoking ban will not affect anyone who can currently buy cigarettes.
Further measures include £100 fines for shops in England and Wales that get caught selling to underage people, which would be on top of the £2,500 fines that courts can currently impose.
As for the vapes, regulations on flavours, packaging, and more are set to be put into place to make the habit less appealing to younger generations. They wish to regulate the ‘fruit’ and ‘sweet’ flavours, standardise the packaging to remove things like bright colours and cartoons, as well as display restrictions and a complete ban on disposable vapes.
These new rules will apply to all duty-free shops in the UK, with authorities told to reinvest the proceeds into law enforcement. The government has stated it will spend £30m on the new legislation, including tackling the black market and illegal sales.
According to the BBC, if the Tobacco and Vapes Bill is put into place, the UK will have the strictest tobacco laws in the world. However, this new legislation took inspiration from a similar law in New Zealand, which was later appealed by their government.
Many other countries are trying to increase their anti-smoking laws, including Canada, Mexico, and Portugal.
When will the smoking ban be put into place?
The UK government hopes to have the new system in place by 2027, working with the governments of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland to introduce these new laws.
However, The Tobacco and Vapes Bill still needs to get approval from the House of Lords and go through another vote. So, we’ll keep you posted as the story develops.