A bill banning anyone born after 2008 from buying tobacco in the UK has completed its parliamentary journey, with ministers hoping it will create a 'smoke-free generation'. The Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which will become law after receiving royal assent next week, prohibits the legal sale of tobacco to anyone born on or after 1 January 2009.
The legislation, introduced on 5 November 2024, cleared both houses of parliament on Tuesday when the House of Lords approved amendments made by MPs. 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, protected from a lifetime of addiction and harm.
Smoking causes 400,000 hospital admissions and 64,000 deaths annually in England alone, costing the NHS £3bn in treatments for related illnesses. The total societal cost is estimated between £21.3bn and £27.6bn per year, mainly through lost productivity. The bill also extends the existing ban on smoking in public places to children's playgrounds, outside schools and hospitals.
Hazel Cheeseman, chief executive of Action on Smoking and Health, described the move as 'a decisive turning point for public health', while Sarah Sleet of Asthma and Lung UK said it would 'transform the nation's health'. The legislation also bans the branding, promotion and advertising of vapes and nicotine products to children.
However, some vaping firms expressed concerns. Richard Begg from VPZ warned that overly restrictive measures could drive former smokers back to tobacco or unregulated markets. Mark Oates of We Vape urged the government to protect vape flavours, calling them 'the single most effective incentive for adult smokers to make the switch to a less harmful alternative'.
