Lawmakers in Britain have approved new and stricter smoking legislation so that children who are 17 or younger – and anyone born in the future – will never be able to legally buy cigarettes. They have also clamped down on vapers, reports Reuters.
The Tobacco and Vapes Bill raises the legal age for buying tobacco by one year, every year, starting with people born on or after 1 January 2009, meaning affected age groups face a lifetime ban.
Due to receive royal assent next week, the law also tightens controls on vaping, including banning sales of vaping and nicotine products to under-18s and restricting advertising, displays, free distribution and discounting.
The measures are aimed at preventing young people from becoming addicted to nicotine, and reducing long-term pressure on the National Health Service.
Smoking causes about 64 000 deaths and 400 000 hospital admissions a year in England, and costs the NHS around £3bn annually, with wider economic costs exceeding £20bn.
Tighter rules on vaping
Vaping has also become a focus for policymakers, with the government banning the sale of single-use or disposable vapes last year over concerns about youth use and environmental damage.
The new legislation will tighten those rules, with ministers gaining powers to regulate the flavours and packaging of tobacco, vaping and nicotine products through secondary legislation.
Around 10% of adults in Britain, or an estimated 5.5m people, use vapes, according to health charity Action on Smoking and Health, with levels broadly unchanged since 2024, suggesting growth has begun to plateau.
About half of those who vape are former smokers, while around 40% continue to smoke and vape, the charity said.
Reuters article – UK lawmakers approve lifetime smoking ban for today's under-18s (Open access)
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