Last year, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced a landmark anti-smoking policy that would ensure that anyone under the age of 15 would be banned from buying cigarettes from 2024 and further reduce the appeal of e-cigarettes to children. If passed, the UK would be one of the most stringent anti-smoking measures in the world. Authorities say this will create "the first smoke-free generation" in modern Britain. Although Sunak's Conservative Party expressed strong opposition to this, on April 16, local time, the bill successfully passed the first hurdle in parliament.
Legislating to create a smoke-free generation
It is understood that these restrictions will apply to cigarette sales in the UK, rather than the act of smoking itself. And, this law will not affect people who can buy cigarettes now. Currently, it is illegal to sell cigarettes, tobacco products and e-cigarettes to people under the age of 18 across the UK.
Under the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, children who turn 15 or under this year will never be legally sold cigarettes. Once the bill is implemented (the official target is 2027), the legal age at which English people can buy cigarettes will be raised by one year each year until it is eventually illegal for all. In addition to this, the bill also includes measures to combat e-cigarette smoking among teenagers, such as banning the sale of cheap disposable e-cigarettes and restricting their flavors to prevent children from becoming addicted to nicotine. Officials can impose fines on retailers who ignore the new rules, and the proceeds will be used for further enforcement efforts.
The number of smokers in the UK has decreased by two-thirds since the 70s of the 20th century, but according to official figures, there are still 6.4 million smokers in the UK, or about 13% of the total population. It is known that smoking is responsible for about 80,000 deaths a year in the UK. Government figures show that smoking costs the UK around £17 billion a year, with productivity losses alone amounting to £10 billion. The government says the cost pales in comparison to the £10 billion raised through a tax on tobacco products.
Health leaders in the UK, heads of the National Health Service (NHS) and medical professionals have all said that a gradual ban on smoking would save thousands of lives. If the bill is passed, ministers say smoking rates in the 14 to 30 age group will be close to zero by 2040. By the end of the century, the government says the creation of a "smoke-free generation" could prevent more than 470,000 cases of heart disease, stroke, lung cancer and other diseases.
The bill was opposed by the Conservatives
On the evening of the 16th, after a debate, the lawmakers voted 383 to 67 to give the bill the right to read it a second time. While the proposal has been widely praised by health experts and supported by the opposition Labour Party, some members of the Conservative Party have opposed it, arguing that it is "not conservative enough". It is understood that Conservative MPs are allowed to vote freely, meaning they can vote at their own discretion without having to follow the party's official line.
Sunak
Opponents such as FOREST, a smokers' rights lobby group, said the move could create a black market and would "treat future generations of adults like children." Prominent figures in the Conservative Party, including former Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Liz Truss, have said the bill restricts individual freedoms and goes against fundamental Conservative Party values. Truss said earlier this year: "The Conservative government should not seek to expand the nanny-style state. This will only make it convenient for those who wish to restrict their freedom. Other opposing Conservatives said the plan simply wouldn't work and would lead to more things being banned. Simon Clarke, a former cabinet secretary, said: "It's a law enforcement nightmare and a slippery slope – will it be alcohol next?"
The bill is expected to be put to a final vote in the House of Lords in early June, after the bill passed its third reading in the House of Lords, but there is still a lot of work to be done in the House of Commons before that. The 16th is the first opportunity for MPs to debate and vote on the bill. The committee phase will take place later in April, when amendments can be introduced, followed by a vote on amendments in May, and finally a vote by MPs on the third reading of the bill.
Truss
No smoking policies around the world
The UK's anti-smoking policy is thought to have been inspired by New Zealand.
New Zealand's previous government had planned to ban anyone born after 1 January 2009 from buying cigarettes or tobacco products during their lifetime. But in November 2023, the current government said it would repeal the law to help fill the funding hole created by the tax cuts.
Mexico has some of the strictest anti-smoking laws in the world, with places including beaches, parks, and certain private homes banning smoking.
Portugal aims to achieve a "smoke-free generation" by 2040 and wants to pass a law banning the sale of tobacco products in bars, cafes and petrol stations.
Canada wants to reduce tobacco use to less than 5% by 2035 and became the first country to make health warnings printed on individual cigarettes earlier this year.
According to the World Health Organization, more than a quarter of the world's population is protected by smoking bans in public places.
Ireland was the first of the 74 countries to implement a smoke-free policy in 2004.
News sources: BBC, The Guardian, Associated Press, some pictures from the Internet
iWeekly Weekend Pictorial Exclusive Manuscript, please do not reprint without permission