Rishi Sunak, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, has proposed an ambitious plan to combat smoking in the UK by raising the legal age of smoking every year by a year. The aim is to eventually make it impossible for anyone to purchase tobacco, thereby ending smoking entirely.
The proposal has been welcomed by Prof Sir Chris Whitty, the Chief Medical Officer for England, who has seen firsthand the negative impacts of smoking on people’s health. “As a doctor, I’ve seen many people in hospital desperate to stop smoking because it’s something that is killing them,” he told the BBC.
Smoking is a leading cause of preventable deaths worldwide, causing numerous health problems such as lung cancer, respiratory disease, and heart disease. The UK has made significant progress in reducing smoking rates in recent decades, but it remains a major public health issue, with over 14% of adults in the UK smoking.
The government’s proposal to gradually raise the legal age of smoking has been met with some criticism, with concerns about the potential impact on small businesses that rely on the sale of tobacco products. However, many health experts believe that the long-term benefits of reducing smoking rates will far outweigh any short-term economic costs.
Overall, the proposal represents a significant step forward in the fight against smoking. By gradually raising the legal age of smoking, the government is sending a strong message that smoking is a harmful and dangerous habit that needs to be eradicated from society. It will undoubtedly take time and effort to achieve this goal, but with the right policies and support, a smoke-free future is within reach
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