The UK Parliament has approved legislation that will permanently bar anyone born after 1 January 2009 from purchasing cigarettes, marking a major step in the government’s effort to reduce smoking rates.
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The Tobacco and Vapes Bill has now passed both the House of Commons and the House of Lords with an agreed final version. The measure aims to create what ministers describe as a “smoke-free generation” by ensuring that children currently aged 17 or younger will never be legally able to buy tobacco products.
Once the legislation receives royal assent, the government will gain expanded authority to regulate tobacco, vaping and other nicotine products, including rules covering flavours, packaging and marketing.
Officials say the law forms part of a broader strategy to tackle the health impact of smoking, which remains one of the UK’s leading causes of preventable death, illness and disability.
Plans for a “smoke-free generation”
Under the legislation, the legal age for purchasing tobacco will effectively rise each year. As a result, individuals born after the start of 2009 will never be able to buy cigarettes or other tobacco products legally.
The government says the approach is designed to stop younger generations from taking up smoking in the first place rather than relying solely on encouraging people to quit later.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting described the passage of the bill as a significant milestone for public health.
“Prevention is better than cure – this reform will save lives, ease pressure on the NHS, and build a healthier Britain,” he said.
Health minister Baroness Merron told peers that the measures represent one of the most important public health steps taken in decades.
“It is, in fact, the biggest public health intervention in a generation and I can assure all noble Lords it will save lives,” she said during debates in the House of Lords.
New rules on vaping
The bill also expands restrictions on vaping in places where children may be present. Vaping will be banned inside cars carrying children, as well as in playgrounds and outside schools and hospitals.
However, the government said vaping will remain permitted outside hospitals to support people attempting to stop smoking.
The legislation does not extend restrictions to outdoor hospitality areas such as pub gardens. Beaches and private outdoor spaces are also excluded from the new rules.
Smoking and vaping inside private homes will remain legal.
Industry and public health responses
Some critics have raised concerns about the impact on retailers and the tobacco industry. Conservative peer Lord Naseby said the legislation would affect many businesses connected to the sector.
“It does upset a great many people in that industry, including retailers,” he told the Lords, adding that more focus should be placed on educating people about the risks of smoking.
Baroness Merron responded that the government had worked closely with retailers while developing the legislation and would continue to do so as the new rules are implemented.
Public health organisations have broadly welcomed the measure. Sarah Sleet, chief executive of Asthma + Lung UK, said the bill had the potential to significantly improve the nation’s health.
She said the law provided an opportunity to strengthen public health protections further and urged the government to expand support services to help existing smokers quit.
Sleet also called for a levy on tobacco companies to fund smoking cessation programmes across the UK, arguing that the industry should help cover the costs of reducing smoking-related harm.
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Adapted by ASEAN Now. Source 22 April 2026
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