The United Kingdom has banned the sale of tobacco to people born after 2009.
The United Kingdom set a milestone in the fight against smoking this Tuesday with parliamentary support to ban the sale of cigarettes to people born after 2009. this was the solution Promoted by Prime Minister Rishi SunakDespite opposition from leading members of his own Conservative Party, including former Prime Ministers Boris Johnson and Liz Truss.
Health Minister Victoria Atkins passionately defended these measures to her parliamentary colleagues, arguing that “there is no freedom in addiction.” Tobacco and vaping bill gets strong support Huge majority of 383 votes in favor And 67 against.
Atkins highlighted that the initiative, which will become law after going through the next parliamentary procedures with this support, seeks to create a “smoke-free generation”, but some Conservative MPs have expressed concern over the implications for individual freedoms. Concerns have been expressed about the sanctions. For example, Truss believed that this law “infantilizes” people.While Jake Berry expressed concern about the government’s “addiction to telling people what to do”.
However, Atkins defended the ban, arguing that “nicotine strips people of their freedom to choose” and highlighted that most smokers start when they are very young. This was also detailed by Secretary of State for Health Andrea Leadsom, who noted that «83% of people start smoking before the age of 20 “And that’s why we need to have the courage to create the first smoke-free generation across the UK, ensuring that children aged 15 and under will never be able to legally buy tobacco again this year.” “This is the biggest intervention to improve the health of our country,” he said.
Leadsom himself admitted that he started smoking at the age of 14, although he gave up the habitAs a gift for your 21st birthday», and underlined the nature of tobacco addiction and its deadly long-term effects. He said that, after 40 years, “I still feel the need for a cigarette sometimes. “It’s very addictive.”
Parliament’s support for the change was seen as a victory for the Labor Party, with health chief Wes Streeting claiming that the Conservatives had “adopted” Labour’s policy, demonstrating his party’s “dominance” in the battle of ideas. .
measures against vapors
The bill also includes measures to make vapes less attractive to children, such as restrictions on flavor and packaging, and gives new powers to trading standards officers. Issue fines to shops selling tobacco or vaping devices to minors, Under the proposed ban, anyone under the age of 15, born on or after January 1, 2009, will no longer be able to legally purchase tobacco.
Ian Walker, executive director of policy at Cancer Research UK, said before the vote that it was “an important step towards the United Kingdom becoming a world leader in tobacco control” and believed that “by voting in favor of age of sales legislation”, MPs will put us on the right side of history and help create the first smoke-free generation. “smoke Cancer remains the leading cause of cancer in Britain, “Now is the time to act, end smoking-related cancer and save lives,” he declared.
Also in favor of the measure was Professor Steve Turner, President of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, for whom “Without doubt, the introduction of the Tobacco and Vaping Bill will save lives”, because “by AndPrevent children and youth from becoming addicted to nicotine and tobacco“We will reduce the chance of developing preventable diseases later in life, and we will protect children from the harms of nicotine addiction.”