A world-first smoking ban that would prevent young people from ever legally buying cigarettes has passed its first legislative hurdle in the U.K.
Lawmakers in the country’s lower house of parliament voted 415 to 47 in favor of the bill this week.
Government ministers and health campaigners have largely praised the plans, while some lawmakers have criticized its impact on civil liberties.
How would the smoking ban work?
The Tobacco and Vapes Bill would ban the sale of tobacco products, herbal smoking products and cigarette rolling paper to anyone born from 2009 onwards. That means if it passes, most of today’s 15-year-olds will never be allowed to buy these goods.
It’s currently illegal to sell tobacco products to people below the age of 18 in the U.K.
The bill would introduce a number of further restrictions to try and reduce rates of vaping, including banning vape ads and the sale of vapes in vending machines. It would prevent the sale of certain flavors of vape and restrict they way shops can display them.
It would also ban the sale of oral tobacco products like snus altogether.
The proposals still need to pass through further scrutiny in the lower and upper houses of parliament before they become law.
Why do lawmakers want a smoking ban?
The proposals are part of a government plan to create a “smokefree generation” where less than 5% of adults smoke.
First proposed by former prime minister Rishi Sunak’s government, the bill has been reintroduced by the current ruling Labour party.
Around 11.9% of adults in the the U.K. currently smoke, with rates among young people rising after years of decline.
Smoking is strongly linked to numerous serious health conditions, including lung cancer, heart disease and stroke. It’s estimated to cost England’s public health system nearly $3.3 billion (£2.6 billion) a year alone.
Although vaping is considered much safer than smoking, it’s popularity among children and young people is a serious concern for lawmakers, campaigners and public health officials.
“The number of children vaping is growing at an alarming rate and without urgent intervention, we’re going to have a generation of children with long-term addiction,” said U.K. Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Wes Streeting in a a statement.
“It is unacceptable that these harmful products are being deliberately targeted at children with brightly coloured packaging and flavours like ‘gummy bear’ and ‘rainbow burst’.”
Stephen Powis, who leads medicine at England’s public health system, the NHS, added: “Smoking also remains the leading cause of preventable deaths and has a huge impact on the NHS, costing billions every year and we look forward to working with the government and partners to ensure the next generation grow up smoke- and vape-free.”
Some lawmakers have attacked the bill, however, with shadow health secretary Edward Argar criticizing a section that would give ministers power to introduce smoking bans in specific outdoor places.
Health spokeswoman from the rival Liberal Democrat party Helen Morgan said her party supported the plan to reduce vaping among young people, but raised concerns over “civil liberties” and the “practicality” of implementing the phased smoking ban.
