UK's tobacco sale ban hailed as major step forward

Children in the United Kingdom aged 17 or younger are on course to be the country's first smoke-free generation, following the passing of a parliamentary bill that will outlaw the sale of tobacco to anyone born after Jan 1, 2009.

The final version of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill has been approved by both the House of Commons and the House of Lords, and only needs royal assent to become law. In addition to cigarettes, associated products such as tobacco and vapes will also be subject to new restrictions, in a bid to tackle one of the country's leading causes of preventable diseases and health problems.

Hazel Cheeseman, chief executive of the Royal College of Physicians' Action on Smoking and Health organization, told the radio station LBC it was "a decisive turning point for public health".

"The end of smoking, and the devastating harm it causes, is no longer uncertain — it's inevitable, and the focus now is on how soon we get there," she said.

Outdoor hospitality venues, such as pub gardens, and open spaces like beaches will be exempt from the regulations, but smoke-free zones will be expanded to include playgrounds and areas around schools and at hospitals, although vaping will still be permitted outside hospitals, to provide support for people trying to quit smoking.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting welcomed the changes, saying it was "a historic moment for the nation's health … children in the UK will be part of the first smoke-free generation, protected from a lifetime of addiction and harm".

"Prevention is better than cure — this reform will save lives, ease pressure on the National Health Service, and build a healthier Britain," he said.

However, vaping industry figures have said restrictions on the use of vapes could push ex-smokers back toward tobacco, and former Conservative Party member of parliament Michael Naseby, criticized the legislation, saying it would "upset a great many people in that industry", including retailers, and that "what we really need is a proper understanding of how we educate people not to take up smoking".

Naseby, who says he has never smoked and has no shares in the tobacco industry, has spoken up for the sector for many years, telling the British Medical Journal in 2015 that his attitude was based on his background in the marketing industry, adding: "I have been brought up in a capitalist world, and if a product is legal, there must be the opportunity for the companies involved to trade."

julian@mail.chinadailyuk.com