Upon approval, it moves closer to creating the first smoke-free generation
MADRID, 17 Abr. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The United Kingdom voted this Tuesday in favor of the bill on tobacco and vaporizers that would criminalize the sale of tobacco products to anyone born after January 1, 2009, that is, children who are currently 15 years old will not be able to buy tobacco; Although the law that intends to come into force from April 2025 will not penalize tobacco itself nor will it prevent anyone who can legally purchase tobacco today from doing so in the future.
“This bill is not about demonizing people who smoke or stopping them from buying tobacco if they can do so today. It will not in any way affect the rights or entitlements of current smokers and, in fact, we want to help them quit smoking. We are supporting them by almost doubling the funding of local smoking cessation services,” said Victoria Atkin, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, in her defense before the House of Representatives before approving the first reading of the law.
Instead, he added, “this bill looks toward the future to give the next generation the freedom to live longer, healthier, and more productive lives.” With its approval, the United Kingdom is getting closer to creating the first smoke-free generation.
Through this bill, “we are creating a smoke-free generation that will ensure that no one turning 15 or younger this year will be legally sold tobacco, saving them from the misery of repeated attempts to quit, making our economy more productive and build an NHS that provides faster, simpler and fairer care,” he added.
To ensure compliance with the new rules, trading standards officers will be given new powers to impose on-the-spot fines (fixed penalty notices) on retailers who illegally sell tobacco or vapes to children. All money raised would be used to fund new law enforcement measures.
The bill follows the government’s previously stated commitment to ban the sale and supply of disposable vaporizers under existing environmental legislation, which has been a key factor behind the rise in youth vaping. The ban is scheduled to take effect from April 2025.
THE LAW ALSO AFFECTS VAPEING
The project goes further and will also regulate vaping since it “damages the future” of young people. “It could damage their lungs while they are still developing, intensify long-term pressure on our NHS and damage their concentration in schools. We cannot replace one nicotine-addicted generation with another and vapes are cynically marketed towards our children,” has stated.
Furthermore, in his speech he recalled that they sell at very affordable prices, and share commercial space with sweets, they also have brands with cartoon characters and they are given flavors such as cotton candy and watermelon ice cream that make products attractive to customers. teenagers.
“Our children are being exploited and we cannot and will not allow this to continue. That is why this bill will give us powers to crack down on child-friendly flavors and packaging and to change the way vapes are displayed in stores, measures on which we will consult,” he stated.