MP’s are to debate today whether to implement laws which could give the U.K. one of the strictest anti smoking laws in the world
If passed into law, it would mean that people currently aged 15 and under would never be able to legally buy cigarettes in their lifetime
Responsible for around 80,000 deaths annually, smoking is the UK’s single biggest preventable killer and costs the NHS and economy an estimated £17 billion a year—far more than the £10 billion annual revenue from tobacco taxation.
It is also highly addictive – 4 in 5 smokers start before the age of 20 and remain addicted for the rest of their lives despite most smokers having tried to quit.
The legislation though is not without its critics with Boris Johnson and Liz Truss saying that the legislation is Un Conservative and reports that up to 100 Tory MP’s will vote against the legislation but Labour will whip its MP’s into voting for the bill
The Tobacco and Vapes Bill would also give the government new powers to tackle youth vaping by restricting flavours and regulating the way that vapes are sold and packaged to make them less appealing to children.
While vaping can play a useful role in helping adult smokers to quit, non-smokers and children should never vape says the Government and the long-term health impacts of vaping are unknown and the nicotine contained within them can be highly addictive.
Professor Chris Whitty, Chief Medical Officer for England said:
Smoking kills and causes harm at all stages of life from stillbirths, asthma in children, stroke, cancer to heart attacks and dementia.
This Bill, if passed, will have a substantial impact – preventing disease, disability and premature deaths long into the future.
