The measure would reach young people born after January 1, 2009, who would be the first generation in the United Kingdom free of tobacco.
The Parliament of the United Kingdom approved a bill this Tuesday that would prohibit children under fifteen years of age from buying cigarettes from now on for the rest of their lives. That is to say, Young people born after January 1, 2009 would be the first tobacco-free generation.
The project was promoted by the prime minister, Rishi Sunak and was approved in the House of Commons with 383 votes in favor and 67 against. The conservative got support from the Labor opposition, while most of the votes against came from congressmen from his own party.
The foundations of the bill that seeks to ban tobacco in the United Kingdom
“This project has the potential to phase out smoking among young people almost completely from 2040″, were the words of the government when presenting the project. In addition, they assured that smoking is the main cause of avoidable mortality, with 80 thousand deaths a year, and one in four fatal cancers.
According to information from the British government, 12% of 16 and 17 year olds are smokers. In addition to that, four out of every five smokers began their addiction to tobacco before turning 20 and carry their dependence for the rest of their lives, even though the majority tried to give up the habit.
“A large majority of smokers wish they had never started,” Professor Chris Whitty, the British government’s chief medical adviser, told the BBC. He further added: “Once they become addicted, they have no choice.“.
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In turn, the co-director of the tobacco and alcohol research group at University College London (UCL), Lion Shahab, stated: “This text will put the UK at the forefront of the fight to eradicate one of the most damaging inventions of modern times.”
Now the project will have to go through the House of Lords to finally see the light.
New Zealand, the precedent
The New Zealand Parliament had approved a similar measure in 2022, which sought to prohibit the sale of cigarettes to anyone born after 2008, but The new conservative government announced at the end of 2023 the reversal of this resolution.
Source: Ambito
