Smokefree legislation must be made reality

Public health bosses across the UK have welcomed the announcement in today’s King’s speech that the new Government will reintroduce the groundbreaking Tobacco and Vapes Bill.

Last year, we welcomed the previous Government’s proposals to raise the age of sale for tobacco by one year every year and tighten restrictions on the sale of vapes to children and young people.

Extra funding was also made available to public health stop smoking services, helping thousands more people quit and crack down on illegal sales.

Greg Fell, ADPH President, said:

“This bill has the potential to be the greatest piece of public health legislation in a generation and we are delighted to hear today’s pledge to bring it back to Parliament. It brings with it the possibility of making a smokefree UK a reality for future generations, something that would save thousands and thousands of lives.”

Smoking kills around 64,000 people in the UK every year. In addition to deaths, it causes untold harms, illness and disease including stillbirths, lung disease, heart disease, stroke, and dementia. As well as the terrible human cost, smoking costs society £17 billion every year through healthcare, lost productivity, and social care costs.

“No other product kills up to two thirds of its users when used according to the manufacturers’ instructions. This legislation will protect the next generation from ever becoming addicted to this lethal product and do more to narrow the unacceptably large gap in healthy life expectancy between the richest and poorest regions than any other single measure,” Fell added.

Alice Wiseman, ADPH’s Policy Lead for Addiction, added:

“Most smokers start young and quickly become addicted. They regret ever starting but, because they are addicted, they struggle to quit, despite often trying multiple times.

“Put simply, addiction takes people’s freedom of choice away. This legislation will give people back their freedom to live healthier – and longer – lives. We must make it a reality and are ready to work with the new Government to implement it at pace.”