LAGOS, Nigeria(VOICE OF NAIJA)- Lawmakers in Great Britain are moving closer to creating a smoke-free generation after approving a sweeping bill to block cigarette access to youths and tighten vape rules, in order to reduce long-term health risks.
The proposed law, known as the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, has been approved by both chambers of the UK Parliament—the House of Commons and the House of Lords—and will prevent anyone born after January 1, 2009, now aged 17 or younger, from ever legally buying cigarettes in their lifetime.
Its goal is to prevent young people from starting smoking, effectively phasing out tobacco use among future generations.
The country’s Health Secretary Wes Streeting, described the move as a turning point, saying it is a “historic moment for the nation’s health” that will create the “first smoke-free generation, protected from a lifetime of addiction and harm”.
Once the bill receives royal assent and becomes law, it will give the government stronger powers to tighten smoking restrictions. These include extending indoor smoking bans to certain outdoor areas such as playgrounds and spaces near schools and hospitals.
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Also, the law will introduce stricter controls on vaping products. Authorities will be able to limit flavours, regulate packaging, and ban vaping in locations where smoking is already prohibited. The measure forms part of a wider effort to strengthen preventive healthcare and reduce pressure on the National Health Service (NHS).
Public health advocates have welcomed the decision as officials hope fewer smokers will translate into lower long-term treatment costs and better public health outcomes.
Notably, the Director of Public Health Charity Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), Hazel Cheeseman, called the bill a “decisive turning point for public health” in an interview with local radio station, LBC.
Earlier efforts have also targeted youth vaping. In June 2025, the Labour government introduced a ban on disposable vapes, which are often cheap and marketed with bright packaging that appeals to younger users.
Globally, similar policies are emerging. New Zealand passed a comparable law in 2022, though it was later repealed in 2023 after a change in government. Meanwhile, the Maldives implemented its own restriction in November last year, banning cigarette sales to those born after January 1, 2007.
Ultimately, in England, smoking remains a major health where it causes about 75,000 deaths annually and accounts for roughly a quarter of all deaths, according to official health data.
The new legislation therefore, signals a stronger push toward prevention, aiming to curb tobacco use early while shaping a healthier future generation.
