The U.K. Parliament has begun debating the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which could permanently ban today's children from ever being able to legally smoke. This bold proposal, backed by the Labour government, would increase the minimum legal smoking age each year, ultimately making it illegal for anyone born after January 1, 2009, to buy cigarettes.
In addition to targeting cigarette sales, the bill includes new restrictions for vapes, seeking to end the "cynical" marketing of vape products to young people. If passed, the bill would prohibit child-targeted vape flavors and bright packaging, aiming to curb vaping among teens. Health Secretary Wes Streeting stated that companies have been working to hook a new generation on nicotine, a trend the bill seeks to reverse.
The bill will also ban smoking and vaping in certain outdoor spaces, such as playgrounds and entrances to schools and hospitals. However, a proposed ban on smoking in pub beer gardens was dropped after pushback from the hospitality industry, which Streeting acknowledged has "taken a real battering in recent years."
If enacted, Britain would have some of the strictest anti-smoking measures worldwide, helping to curb an addiction that still affects 13% of the population. While smoking has significantly declined since the 1970s, it remains the top preventable cause of death and disability, claiming around 80,000 lives per year in the U.K.
