Tag: Tobacco and Vapes Bill

MPs to vote on landmark smoking ban

Votes on the world-leading Tobacco and Vapes Bill will move the UK one step closer to becoming smoke-free

  • Vote will move the UK one step closer to becoming smoke-free, shielding the next generation from the harms of smoking.
  • Ambitious plans to protect children from vaping, including ban on vape advertising and sale of vapes in vending machines, in addition to restricting vape flavours, packaging and shop display.
  • Bill bolstered by additional £10m of support for enforcement and £70m for stop smoking services.

MPs will today (26 November) vote on the world-leading Tobacco and Vapes Bill, moving the UK one step closer to protecting future generations from the harms of smoking and vaping.

The ambitious Bill includes plans to clamp down on youth vaping with many of the measures specifically aimed at protecting children.   

Subject to consultation, the sale of vape flavours that overtly appeal to children – such as bubble gum, gummy bear and cotton candy – could be brought to an end, alongside restrictions on vape packaging that is designed to appeal to young people.  

The Bill will bring in a total ban on vape advertising and sponsorship which will include displays that will likely be seen by children and young people such as on buses, in cinemas, and in shop windows, bringing this in line with current tobacco restrictions.  

All vaping and nicotine products will be banned from being sold to under 18s – closing loopholes on non-nicotine vapes and nicotine pouches. Vapes will also be banned in vending machines, where they can be easily accessed by children. The free distribution of these products will also be banned.  

If passed, the Bill will progress to the next parliamentary stage, bringing the UK one step closer to creating the first smoke-free generation. 

The Bill will help achieve one of the three key shifts in the government’s 10 Year Health Plan, to move from sickness to prevention. 

Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Wes Streeting, said:  “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. 

“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’.  

“The Tobacco and Vapes Bill provides the protection that children and young people need to avoid a life imprisoned by addiction. That’s why it’s so incredibly important it is voted through.”  

To support current smokers to quit smoking, the government will provide £70 million for stop smoking services. This is in addition to all hospitals integrating ‘opt-out’ smoking cessation interventions into routine care, making every clinical consultation count.  

To bolster enforcement, the government will provide an additional £10 million for Trading Standards to crack down on illicit trade. This comes off the back of new data from National Trading Standards (NTS) that show over 1 million illicit vapes were seized inland by Trading Standards in 2023-24, a 59% increase compared to the previous year.  

In a separate programme coordinated by NTS, 19 million illicit cigarettes and 5.2 tonnes of illicit hand-rolled tobacco were seized by Trading Standards in 2023-24. This is on top of the over 1 billion illicit cigarettes and 92.4 tonnes of illicit hand-rolled tobacco seized by HMRC and Border Force. 

The Bill will also include powers to introduce a licensing scheme for retailers to sell tobacco, vape and nicotine products in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and will introduce on the spot fines of £200 to retailers found to be selling these products to people underage. 

Expanding the use of highly effective standardised packaging to all tobacco products will also be explored. 

Chief Medical Officer for England, Professor Chris Whitty, said: “If this major piece of legislation is passed, it will accelerate a smokefree generation and lead to children never being trapped by addiction to cigarettes with lifelong harms to their health.

“The rising number of children vaping is a significant concern, and the Tobacco and Vapes Bill will help prevent marketing vapes to children, which is utterly unacceptable. Smoking results in direct harm across a person’s life course but also causes harms to others around them, including children, pregnant women and the medically vulnerable.

“Reducing the number of vulnerable people exposed to second-hand smoke, as well as preventing non-smokers taking up vaping is important and will improve the health of the nation.”

The NHS also recently announced the rollout of a once-a-day pill that could help tens of thousands of people give up cigarettes. It also follows the government laying new legislation in October banning the sale of single-use vapes from 1 June 2025. 

NHS national medical director, Professor Sir Stephen Powis, said: “Vaping among young people is a significant and growing concern and we wholeheartedly welcome the Government’s commitment to tackle this as part of the measures outlined in this bill.

“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.”

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill will give government the powers to extend the indoor smoking ban to specific outdoor spaces: with children’s playgrounds, outside schools and hospitals all being considered in England, subject to consultation. These powers will also allow places that are currently smoke-free to be made vape-free, subject to consultation.  

Sarah Sleet, chief executive at Asthma + Lung UK, said: “The announcement of additional funding for smoking cessations services is desperately needed to help the tens of thousands of existing smokers who want to quit, which is incredibly difficult to do without support.

“Stop smoking services have suffered drastic cuts in recent years, but when they are appropriately funded they do a fantastic job of supporting people to stop smoking for good.

“Today’s vote on the Tobacco and Vapes Bill is the crucial next step towards protecting younger generations from the harms of smoking, by stopping them from ever taking up cigarettes.

“However, it’s only by tackling the whole problem that we can truly begin to put a stop to the devasting effects this deadly addiction has on the health of the nation, and the huge burden it places on the NHS.”

Hazel Cheeseman, chief executive of Action on Smoking and Health said: “Every day around 350 young people start smoking, and two thirds of long-term smokers will die due to smoking.

“Passing this Bill is a vital way the Government can start to end the unprecedented harm caused by tobacco, protecting the health of the next generation by ensuring they won’t become addicted to smoking.

“Alongside the legislation funding is necessary to help the millions who currently smoke to quit and accelerate the creation of a smokefree country and the announcement today is welcome.”

Dr Ian Walker, executive director of policy at Cancer Research UK, said: “Tobacco still causes around 160 cancer cases every day in the UK. But with strong political will and bold action, these staggering numbers can be turned around. 

“By voting in favour of this historic legislation, MPs have the power to help save lives and make the UK a world leader in tobacco control.

“Raising the age of sale of tobacco products and funding cessation support will save people from a deadly and costly addiction. I urge politicians to prioritise the health of the nation and help end cancers caused by smoking for good.” 

In England, the Health and Social Care Secretary launched Change.NHS.UK to encourage the biggest conversation ever about the NHS to help inform the plan.

MPs to vote on landmark Bill to create Smokefree generation

MPs to vote on legislation to create first smoke-free generation, protecting young people turning 15 this year or younger from harms of smoking

MPs will vote today (16th April 2024) on world-leading legislation to protect future generations across the UK from the harmful effects of smoking.

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill would make it an offence to sell tobacco products to anyone born after 1 January 2009 – children aged 15 or younger today. Smoking itself would not be criminalised and anyone who can legally buy tobacco today will never be prevented from doing so in the future by the legislation.

If passed, the Bill will progress to the next stage, bringing the UK closer to creating the first smoke-free generation. 

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 will cover all tobacco products, recognising that tobacco kills two-thirds of long-term users. In England alone, almost every minute someone with a smoking-related condition is admitted to hospital.

The Bill will help deliver the Prime Minister’s commitment of creating a smokefree generation which could prevent over 470,000 cases of heart disease, stroke, lung cancer and other deadly diseases by the turn of the century.

Alongside action to prevent creating future smokers, the government has already announced significant additional funding for stop smoking services over the next five years, effectively doubling the money available for local initiatives that can help existing smokers to quit. The government is also rolling out an innovative financial incentives scheme to help all pregnant smokers to quit.

Health and Social Care Secretary, Victoria Atkins, said: “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.

“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.”

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. The long-term health impacts of vaping are unknown and the nicotine contained within them can be highly addictive.

To ensure compliance with the new rules, trading standards officers will be given new powers to issue on-the-spot fines (fixed penalty notices) to retailers unlawfully selling tobacco or vapes to children. All the money raised would be used to fund further enforcement action.

The Bill follows the government’s previously stated commitment to ban the sale and supply of disposable vapes under existing environmental legislation, which have been a key factor behind the rise in youth vaping. The ban is planned to take effect from April 2025.

Public Health Minister, Andrea Leadsom, said: “Smoking is the number one preventable cause of disability, ill health and death in this country. Once it becomes a habit, its addictive nature means that it is extremely difficult to stop.

“Because the case against these harmful products is so strong, it’s not surprising that the majority of the British public—including those who smoke and those who sell tobacco—support plans to protect the next generation from the misery of smoking.

“Our plan will save lives, ease the strain on our NHS, and ensure a brighter future for our children.”

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.”

Deborah Arnott, Chief Executive of Action on Smoking and Health, said: “The Tobacco and Vapes Bill being voted on today is radical but, hard as it is now to believe, so were the smokefree laws when they were put before parliament. Parliamentarians can be reassured that the public they represent back the Bill.

“New research just published by ASH shows that the majority of tobacco retailers and the public, including smokers, support the legislation and the smokefree generation ambition it is designed to deliver.  This historic legislation will consign smoking to the “ash heap of history.” 

Dr Charmaine Griffiths, Chief Executive at the British Heart Foundation said: “Smoking continues to devastate the nation’s health, taking 15,000 UK lives every single year due to cardiovascular disease alone. 

“Raising the age of sale for tobacco each year will be a game changer, meaning that future generations are protected from serious disease and death caused by smoking. 

“Decisive action is needed to end this ongoing public health tragedy – we urge every MP to vote for this landmark legislation at the Bill’s Second Reading.”

Professor Steve Turner, Royal College for Paediatrics and Child Health President, said: “Without a doubt the introduction of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill will save lives.  

“By stopping children and young people from becoming addicted to nicotine and tobacco we decrease their chances of developing preventable diseases later in life, and will protect children from the harms of nicotine addiction.  

“As paediatricians, we strongly urge MPs to use the important responsibility they have and support this Bill to protect children’s and our nation’s current and future health.” 

Dr Ian Walker, Executive Director of Policy at Cancer Research UK, said: “Today’s vote is a critical step towards the UK becoming a world leader in tobacco control. By voting in favour of the age of sale legislation, MPs will be putting us on the right side of history, and helping to create the first ever smokefree generation.

“Smoking is still the leading cause of cancer in the UK. Now is the time to take action, end cancers caused by smoking and save lives.”