UK Parliament Approves Tobacco and Vapes Bill Prohibiting Sales to Post-2008 Births

Both houses of the UK Parliament approved the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, banning the purchase of tobacco products, including vapes, for anyone born on or after January 1, 2009. The bill passed on Tuesday, with the House of Lords approving amendments previously made by MPs in the Commons. Royal assent is expected next week, after which the legislation will become law.

The measure prohibits individuals born on or after January 1, 2009, from legally purchasing tobacco products in the United Kingdom. Those affected are currently aged 17 or younger. The legislation aims to stop anyone in this group from taking up smoking, phasing out tobacco sales over time to create a smoke-free generation.

Under the bill, ministers gain powers to strengthen restrictions on smoking in public spaces, including children's playgrounds, areas outside schools, and hospitals. Vaping will be banned in cars carrying children, in playgrounds, and outside schools and hospitals, though it remains allowed outside hospitals to support quitting efforts.

The bill also provides new authority to regulate tobacco, vaping, and nicotine products, including flavors and packaging, and to extend indoor smoking bans to specified outdoor areas.

Smoking causes 400,000 hospital admissions and 64,000 deaths each year in England. Treatment for tobacco-related conditions costs the NHS approximately £3 billion annually. 6 billion yearly, largely due to lost productivity.

' Sleet added that the legislation promised to transform the nation's health and urged the government to provide widespread smoking cessation support through a tobacco industry levy. Lord Naseby, a Conservative former MP, said the Tobacco and Vapes Bill 'does upset a great many people in that industry,' including retailers. ' The Tobacco and Vapes Bill was first introduced on November 5, 2024.

Both the Commons and Lords settled on a final draft before approval. Outdoor hospitality venues like pub gardens, beaches, and private outdoor spaces are not included in the new restrictions. People will continue to be allowed to smoke and vape in their homes.

The bill represents one of the UK's leading efforts to address preventable death, disability, and ill health from smoking. Ministers view the legislation as essential to reducing pressure on public services.