UK Passes Law Banning Cigarette Sales to Anyone Born After January 1, 2009
Children aged 17 or younger will face a lifelong ban on buying cigarettes after the Tobacco and Vapes Bill cleared Parliament. Both the Commons and Lords agreed a final draft of the “landmark” legislation, which will make it illegal for shops to sell tobacco to anyone born after 1 January 2009 in an effort to create a smoke-free generation.
Once it receives royal assent, ministers will gain new powers to regulate tobacco, vaping and nicotine products, including flavours and packaging. The bill is part of wider efforts to address the health effects of smoking, one of the UK’s leading causes of preventable death, disability and ill health.
Vaping will be banned in cars carrying children, as well as in playgrounds, outside schools and at hospitals, expanding smoke-free laws, though it will still be allowed outside hospitals to support those trying to quit. Outdoor hospitality venues such as pub gardens, along with beaches and private outdoor spaces, are not included, and people will still be able to smoke and vape in their homes.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting called it a historic moment for the nation’s health, saying the reform will save lives, ease pressure on the NHS and build a healthier Britain. Health minister Baroness Merron told the Lords it is the biggest public health intervention in a generation and will save lives.
Conservative former MP Lord Naseby said the bill will upset many in the industry, including retailers, and called for better education to stop people from taking up smoking. In response, Baroness Merron said the government has worked closely with retailers and will continue to do so.
