The plan to ban smoking was first put forward by former chancellor Rishi Sunak, but new chancellor Keir Starmer has vowed to legislate it. King Charles of England also backed the plan in a speech yesterday, mentioning the smoking ban. The plan would see no one born after January 1, 2009, be able to buy tobacco. It would also impose restrictions on the sale and marketing of e-cigarettes. When first introduced by Sunak, the bill received cross-party support and was dubbed the “biggest public health bill of a generation”. MPs backed the bill by 383 votes to 67 in April. However, the bill failed to pass parliament as a general election was called.
How Will the Smoking Ban Be Implemented?
The Tobacco and Vaping Bill is expected to have a similar format to the measures introduced in New Zealand last December. The bill includes reforms such as raising the legal smoking age and banning future generations from buying cigarettes. If implemented by 2027, no one aged 14 or under will currently be able to buy cigarettes. Sunak has said the ban would not take away the rights of existing smokers. The bill also allows for reforms to be made to the sale and branding of e-cigarettes to reduce their appeal to children and young people. It is possible that flavors such as bubble gum and cotton candy could also be banned, as research has shown that children prefer flavors such as menthol to others.
