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News Topical, Digital Desk : The British Parliament has approved a landmark law aimed at creating a "smoke-free generation." Under this law, people born on or after January 1, 2009, will never be able to legally purchase tobacco products for the rest of their lives.
The Tobacco and Vapes Bill has passed through all parliamentary processes and will now become law after receiving Royal Assent. It is being considered one of the biggest public health advances in recent years. Under the new rule, people who are 17 years of age or younger today will not be able to purchase cigarettes or other tobacco products in the future, even after they reach adulthood.
The age limit will increase every year
Under this policy, the legal smoking age will increase every year, hoping to wean a new generation off tobacco forever. Health officials say the aim is to gradually eliminate smoking and reduce addiction.
Government ministers have hailed it as a historic step. Health Minister Baroness Merron called it "the biggest public health intervention in a generation" and claimed it would save lives and ease pressure on the National Health Service. The law is also part of a larger strategy to curb nicotine addiction among youth and crack down on vaping (e-cigarettes).
Strict rules on vaping and tobacco too
The law will also impose stricter regulations on vaping and nicotine products, including tightening advertising and promotion, expanding no-smoking zones around schools and hospitals, and regulating vape flavors and packaging.
New provisions have also been introduced to limit youth access to nicotine products, to prevent the transition from vaping to smoking. While the bill has received support from health organizations, some have criticized it as an intrusion on personal liberty and expressed concern about the growth of the illegal tobacco market.
The final process of enacting the law is pending.
Despite opposition, the bill has passed both houses of Parliament with a majority. Now, it only needs royal assent to become law. Once implemented, it will be one of the strictest anti-smoking laws in the world. Under it, children and young people born after 2008 will never be able to legally purchase cigarettes, with the aim of creating Britain's first 'smoke-free generation'.
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