A UK bill to create a “smoke-free generation” by banning smoking for anyone born after 2008 has been approved by both houses of parliament. All that is needed is the king’s signature for it to become law.
Children who do not turn 18 by January 1, 2027 will never be able to buy cigarettes or tobacco products in the United Kingdom, as soon as the new law, which has now been fully approved by parliament, receives royal sanction from King Charles III.
The Tobacco and Electronic Cigarettes Bill cleared its final parliamentary hurdle on Monday when the House of Lords approved the latest changes minors to a project under discussion since 2024, at the beginning of the mandate of the current Labor government.
Only one other country, the Maldives, currently has a similar “generational smoking ban.”
The first country to do so, New Zealand, quickly repealed the law after a change of government in 2023.
What are the new rules for smoking and vaping and where do they apply?
The rules apply in the four constituent countries of the United Kingdom: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. They were developed in conjunction with the regional parliaments of Belfast, Cardiff and Edinburgh.
Below are some of the main changes and provisions:
- Technically, the new law will increase the legal age to purchase cigarettes, cigars or tobacco in the UK, currently aged 18, in one year for each subsequent year from 1 January 2027.
- This means that people born on or after January 1, 2009 will never be able to purchase them.
- Retailers will be subject to financial penalties for selling products to people who are not entitled to them.
- The government will also have the power to impose a new registration system for smoking and vaporization products entering the country, seeking to improve supervision.
- The bill will expand the UK’s indoor smoking ban to a series of public outdoor spacesfor example, in playgrounds, outside schools and hospitals.
- Most indoor spaces designated as smoke-free will also become vaping-free.
- Smoking in designated areas outside pubs, bars and other food outlets will continue to be permitted.
- Smoking and vaping will continue to be legal in homes.
- Smoking electronic cigarettes will become illegal in cars if there is someone under 18 driving a vehicle. The minimum smoking age is 18 years old, to comply with existing smoking rules.
- Advertising for smoking products and vapes will be prohibited.
- People aged 18 and over will remain eligible to purchase e-cigarettes, but some items aimed at younger consumers, such as disposable vapes, have already been banned as part of the program.
What did members of the House of Lords say when the bill completed its passage through parliament?
Monday’s sitting in the House of Lords gave the final green light to a series of minor technical changes, intended to fix errors and failures identified in the bill in order to finalize it, as the bill had passed all three readings in both chambers of parliament.
As a result, even opposition deputies who opposed the idea did not resist the approval of the six amendments.
Baroness Gillian Merron, of the ruling Labor Party and a member of the Department of Health and Social Care, spoke in favor of the changes to the law “at the end of the bill’s progress in our Parliament”.
“This is a historic bill, gentlemen, that will create a smoke-free generation. It is, in fact, the greater intervention in public health in a generation and I can assure all noble Lords that it will save lives. I recommend it to the Chamber”, said Merron.
Michael Morris, or Baron Naseby, a Conservative member of the House of Lords, reiterated some of his objections to the plans, including the planned standard fines of £200 (approximately 230 euros or 270 dollars) for retailers who violate age restrictions or sell to third-party buyers.
“A lot of people in this industry are very disturbed by the fact that the government did not listen to the strong demands from retailers, especially those who know this specific sector well,” said Baron Naseby.
Naseby said he believes there will come a time when those “who believe that this idea, in its entirety, is completely out of date with what is going on in the world” will have their opinion confirmed, stating: “What we really need is a proper understanding of how to educate people so they don’t start smoking“.
Royal sanction, the signature of King Charles III and the last step in the process to make it law, is a formality in almost all circumstances in the United Kingdom; The bill was already mentioned in one of the so-called “King’s speeches” at the opening of parliament, which outlined some of the government’s legislative priorities.
