British Lawmakers Will Vote Today on Smoking Ban for People 15 and Younger

On Tuesday, April 16, 2024, British lawmakers will vote on the Prime Minister’s move to ban smoking among younger people aged 15 and below. Rishi Sunak is proposing to ban anyone aged 15 and under from buying cigarettes. 

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill will make it an offense to sell tobacco products to anyone born after January 1, 2009. According to reports, Sunak’s decision to impose one of the strictest anti-smoking laws has annoyed some members of his Conservative Party including Boris Johnson and the former Prime Minister Liz Truss. The former ministers believe it is wrong for the state to interfere in people's lives. 

“Too many people know someone whose life has been tragically cut short or irreversibly changed because of smoking, which despite significant progress remains the UK’s biggest preventable killer,” said Health and Social Care Secretary, Victoria Atkins.

“The truth is that there is no safe level of tobacco consumption. It is uniquely harmful and that is why we are taking this important action today to protect the next generation. This bill will save thousands of lives, ease the strain on our NHS and improve the UK’s productivity.”

When lawmakers converge, they are not expected to vote along party lines, in other words, they will be given the so-called free vote on the bill. Earlier this year, a similar bill was scrapped in New Zealand by the new coalition government before the legislature was ever due for enforcement.

Sunak has faced criticism from his party based on some of his decisions on issues relating to defense policy and climate change. Another large rebellion from his Conservative party members will be a huge blow to him and possibly affect his political future. 

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill will not criminalize smoking

The legislation to control who can legally purchase tobacco products is one of Sunak’s flagship policies before the election is due later this year. According to an opinion poll, the Labour Party is expected to win. According to Sunak, the Bill will tackle “the single biggest entirely preventable cause of ill-health, disability, and death” in the UK. The bill will not criminalize smoking and anyone who can legally buy cigarettes today will not be affected.

Medical and healthcare experts and charities strongly support the bill, saying smoking is the cause of 80,000 deaths annually plus lots of other tobacco-related illnesses. Speaking in support of the bill, the Chief Medical Officer for England, Professor Chris Whitty listed out some of the illnesses linked to smoking.

" Smoking kills and causes harm at all stages of life from stillbirths, asthma in children, stroke, cancer to heart attacks and dementia,” Whitty said. This bill, if passed, will have a substantial impact - preventing disease, disability, and premature deaths long into the future.”

However, not everyone thinks the Tobacco and Vapes Bill is a great idea. In an interview with BBC radio regarding the ban, Conservative lawmaker Simon Clarke said it may be counterproductive.

“I think, it actually risks making smoking cooler. It certainly risks creating a black market and it also risks creating an unmanageable challenge for the authorities,” Clarke said.

The Labour Party has suggested that it will support the measures outlined in the bill. If the bill scales through Tuesday's votes, it will progress to the next stage in parliament.