Rishi Sunak has proposed a bill that would see anyone born from 2009 onwards effectively banned from smoking. The aim is to gradually cut the number of smokers in the country, until it’s eradicated.
Tobacco and Vapes Bill
The government documentation says the bill is designed to “Make provision about the supply of tobacco, vapes and other products, including provision prohibiting the sale of tobacco to people born on or after 1 January 2009; and to enable product requirements to be imposed in connection with tobacco, vapes and other products.”
Sales Illegal, Not Consumption
Under the proposals, the sale of tobacco products to anyone born from 2009 would be illegal, but smoking wouldn’t be outlawed. This puts the onus on shops and distributors to exercise the law.
Why Does the Government Want to Outlaw Smoking
The simple explanation is the public health issue. According to NHS statistics, smoking and tobacco use is the UK’s biggest cause of preventable deaths. It is responsible for approximately 80,000 deaths per year.
Stressed NHS Needs a Break
Further information shows a patient is admitted to an NHS facility with a smoking-related illness every single minute in the UK. If some of these health concerns could be reduced, it would ease the burden somewhat.
Sunak’s Bill Causing Party Division
As expected, the bill is causing polarising opinions within the Conservative Party. There’s a real chance that a significant number of his MPs will vote against him, which would be an embarrassing outcome.
Some Support in the Tory Party
Victoria Atkins, the Health and Social Care Secretary, said the bill would “save thousands of lives”, help the NHS and improve the UK’s productivity.
Former Prime Ministers Against Proposals
Boris Johnson wrote an article in the Daily Mail in which he called the bill “barmy” pointing out the division in legal status of two people born a day apart.
Liz Truss Voiced Worries About the Bill
Truss said “We should absolutely protect children from damage and danger while they are developing decision-making capabilities”, but added: “We’re a free country. We shouldn’t be telling people not to smoke and I worry about where it will lead.”
Critics Suggest It’ll Only Make Smoking ‘Cooler’ to Young People
Tory MP Sir Simon Clarke said, “An outright ban risks making smoking cooler, it certainly risks creating a black market and it also risks creating an unmanageable problem for the authorities.”
Whitty in Support of Proposals
Professor Sir Chris Whitty, England’s chief medical officer is in support of a ban.
He said “When I was a junior doctor doing surgery I remember the tragedy of seeing people, whose legs had had to be cut off because of the smoking that had damaged their arteries, outside the hospital weeping as they lit up because they were trapped by addiction – that is not choice.”
Labour Set to Back the Bill
Reports suggest that Labour will back the bill to ban smoking to anyone born since 2009. With their support, the likelihood is the bill will be passed into UK law irrespective of the Tory MPs voting.
Lib Dems Given Free Vote, but Expected to Support It
Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey said: ‘I’ve seen the health impacts of smoking tobacco, there’s no good outcome, it’s always bad, it’s the leading cause of preventable death in our country.”
Social Media Critics Worry About Government Revenue
On social media some expressed worries about the loss of tax income for the government from tobacco, leading them to speculate that it’ll just lead to higher taxes elsewhere.
Government Figures Refute Worries
Official government data shows that smoking costs the UK around £17bn per year. This is made up of a combination of productivity drops from smoking-related illnesses and the costs to the NHS for treatment.
Tobacco Tax Revenues Just Over Half
Tax receipts from tobacco products amount to around £10bn annually, so it suggests that the net cost of smoking to the UK government is approximately £7bn a year.
Bill Receiving Support From the Medical World
Prof Steve Turner, president of the Royal College for Pediatrics and Child Health said: “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.”
Anti-Smoking Charity Says Public Support Is There
Head of charity Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), Deborah Arnott, said: “New research published by ASH shows that the majority of tobacco retailers and the public, including smokers, support the legislation and the smoke-free generation ambition it is designed to deliver.”
Smoking Less Popular Than Ever
Data from the Office for National Statistics says “In the UK population in 2022, 12.9% of people aged 18 years and over, or around 6.4 million people, smoked cigarettes; this is the lowest proportion of current smokers since records began in 2011.”
Public Attitudes Changing
Since the smoking ban in public places, smoking has become less popular and socially acceptable. There’s a suggestion future generations will turn away from smoking of their own accord, in line with the data. This bill would certainly speed the process.
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