The British Prime Minister has proposed plans to increase the legal smoking age every year, meaning those born after 2008 will never be able to buy them.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has announced a groundbreaking plan to incrementally raise the legal age for purchasing cigarettes in England, per Sky News.
Addressing the annual Conservative party conference yesterday (October 4), Sunak unveiled his vision, stating that the proposal aims to ensure that "a 14-year-old today will never legally be sold a cigarette and that they and their generation can grow up smoke-free."
Under Sunak's plan, the legal smoking age will increase by one year each year, paving the way for a tobacco-free future. "People take up cigarettes when they're young - four in five smokers have started by the time they're 20," Sunak noted.
"Later, the vast majority try to quit. But many fail because they're addicted and they wish they had never taken up the habit in the first place."
Sunak emphasized the importance of breaking the cycle of smoking initiation, describing it as a critical step in "ending the biggest cause of preventable death and disease in our country."
While acknowledging the rights of current smokers, Sunak stressed that the goal is to prevent teenagers from taking up smoking in the first place.
During his speech, the Prime Minister also addressed the issue of vaping among young people. He expressed deep concern about the rising trend of vaping among children, with one in five children having used vapes. "We must act before it becomes endemic," he declared.
To address this concern, the government will introduce measures to restrict the availability of vapes to children. These measures will encompass various aspects, including flavors, packaging displays, and disposable vapes.
This move comes in response to repeated calls to protect children and mitigate the environmental impact of single-use vaping products.
Sunak's plan aligns with the government's ambition, set out in 2019, for England to become smoke-free by 2030.
According to Downing Street, implementing these measures is projected to result in up to 1.7 million fewer smokers in England by 2075.
Smoking remains a significant public health issue in the UK, causing approximately one in five cancer cases and over one in four cancer deaths each year. Despite ongoing efforts to reduce smoking rates, nearly six million people in England continue to smoke.
According to Sky News, the annual societal cost of smoking is estimated at around £17 billion ($20.7 billion), with an additional £2.4 billion ($2.9 billion) burden on the NHS (National Health Service).
Michelle Mitchell, Chief Executive of Cancer Research UK, hailed the plan, stating: "Raising the age of sale on tobacco products is a critical step on the road to creating the first-ever smoke-free generation."
Sunak anticipates that the legislation will be subject to a free vote in parliament, similar to the ban on smoking in public places and raising the smoking age to 18. He made it clear that there will be "no government whip" on this matter, emphasizing that it's a "matter of conscience."
Some critics have referred to the plan as "creeping prohibition".
