Plans for some of the world’s strictest anti-tobacco laws will be debated in Parliament today. Chancellor Rishi Sunak aims to make Generation Alpha, who were born from 2009 onwards, the first smoke-free generation in the UK through a crucial public health intervention. The Tobacco and Vapes Bill proposes that anyone reaching the age of 15 from this year onwards would be unable to purchase cigarettes, while e-cigarettes would be made less appealing to children.
The proposals would render the sale of tobacco products illegal, rather than smoking itself. Tobacco use is the primary preventable cause of death in the UK, responsible for 80,000 deaths each year and killing two-thirds of long-term users. Almost every minute, a patient is admitted to hospital in England with a smoking-related condition, such as heart disease, strokes, and lung cancer.
Health Secretary Victoria Atkins believes that the bill could save thousands of lives, reduce pressure on the National Health Service, and protect the next generation. Under Sunak’s plan, trading standards officers would acquire new powers to impose £100 on-the-spot fines on shops selling tobacco or e-cigarettes to children; the proceeds would be devoted to improving enforcement. The plan also includes new limitations on flavours, packaging, and the purchase of e-cigarettes to make them less appealing to youngsters.
Labour supports the bill, making it almost certain to become law later this year, but Conservative MPs will receive a free vote on it. Some Tory MPs argue that the plan is unworkable, while others believe it is un-Conservative. The bill’s detractors, including former Conservative Prime Ministers Boris Johnson and Liz Truss, warn against banning things and claim that this approach is detrimental to a free country. Since the vote is free, Conservative MPs voting against the bill or abstaining would not be regarded as rebels, but it could still be an embarrassment for Sunak if a sizable proportion of his party opted not to support his policy
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