A bill banning anyone born after 2008 from buying tobacco in the UK has completed its progress through parliament. The tobacco and vapes bill will become law next week when it receives royal assent, in a move ministers hope will create a 'smoke-free generation'.
Under the legislation, anyone born on or after 1 January 2009 will never be legally sold tobacco across the UK. The bill was introduced on 5 November 2024 and cleared both houses after the House of Lords approved amendments made by MPs. Ministers aim to end the sale of tobacco products over time, breaking the cycle of addiction.
Smoking causes 400,000 hospital admissions and 64,000 deaths annually in England alone, costing the NHS £3bn in treatments for related illnesses such as cancer and heart disease. Total societal costs are estimated between £21.3bn and £27.6bn a year, mainly through lost productivity.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting called it a 'historic moment for the nation’s health', adding that children in the UK will be part of the first smoke-free generation. The legislation also extends the smoking ban to children’s playgrounds, outside schools and hospitals.
Hazel Cheeseman, chief executive of Action on Smoking and Health, said the end of smoking is now inevitable. Sarah Sleet of Asthma and Lung UK described the bill as a 'landmark' that will transform the nation’s health. However, some vaping firms warned that restrictive measures could drive ex-smokers back to tobacco or unregulated markets.
