April 17, 2024
3 mins read

Sunak faces resistance over his smoking ban plans

“The truth is that there is no safe level of tobacco consumption. It is uniquely harmful, and that is why we are taking this important action today to protect the next generation,” said UK Health Secretary Victoria Atkins…reports Asian Lite News

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak faces very vocal resistance against his plans to effectively ban smoking for anyone aged 15 and younger as a new bill comes up for a vote in the House of Commons on Tuesday.

The British Indian leader proposed the Tobacco and Vapes Bill last year and declared his vision for creating a “smokefree generation” by making it an offence to sell tobacco products to anyone born after January 1, 2009, which covers children aged 15. Once it clears its parliamentary journey, the new legislation will introduce some of the world’s strictest anti-smoking laws in the country.

“I propose that in future we raise the smoking age by one year, every year. That means a 14-year-old today will never legally be sold a cigarette and that they — and their generation — can grow up smoke-free. We know this works,” Sunak had declared at the Conservative Party conference in October last year.

As there is Opposition backing for the bill in Parliament and governing Conservative MPs have a free vote on the bill, any Tory votes against the bill will not be seen as a full-blown rebellion against the Prime Minister. But two of Sunak’s immediate predecessors, Liz Truss and Boris Johnson, have been leading a very vocal group of Tories who plan to vote against the bill as “un-Conservative” and taking away choice from the public.

“The truth is that there is no safe level of tobacco consumption. It is uniquely harmful, and that is why we are taking this important action today to protect the next generation,” said UK Health Secretary Victoria Atkins.

“This Bill will save thousands of lives, ease the strain on our NHS [National Health Service], and improve the UK’s productivity,” she said. Under the new law, smoking itself would not be criminalised, and anyone who can legally buy tobacco will not be prevented from doing so. The ban aims to stop people from smoking even before they start as the government pointed to its highly addictive nature, with four in five smokers picking it up before the age of 20, remaining addicted for life. If passed, the bill will progress to the next stage, bringing the UK closer to creating the first smoke-free generation, the government says.

Under the plans, trading standards officers would get new powers to issue on-the-spot 100-pound fines to shops selling tobacco or vapes to children, with all the money raised going towards further enforcement. “This historic legislation will consign smoking to the ‘ash heap of history’,” said Deborah Arnott, head of the charity Action on Smoking and Health (ASH).

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill would also give the government new powers to tackle youth vaping by restricting flavours and regulating the way that vapes are sold and packaged to make them less appealing to children. The UK’s Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said while vaping can play a useful role in helping adult smokers to quit, non-smokers and children should never vape.

The long-term health impacts of vaping are unknown, and the nicotine contained within them can be highly addictive, it warned.

According to official figures, responsible for around 80,000 deaths annually, smoking is the UK’s single biggest preventable killer and costs the NHS and economy an estimated GBP 17 billion a year — more than the GBP 10 billion annual revenue from tobacco taxation.

ALSO READ-Sunak’s attempt to ban smoking is nuts, says Johnson

Previous Story

‘Helping farmers’: US hails India’s tariff removal on US products

Next Story

European Leaders Engage in Urgent Diplomacy in Israel

Latest from -Top News

Hamas Reiterates Peace Effort After U.S. Jab

Hamas Reaffirms Commitment to Ceasefire Talks After U.S. Criticism…reports Asian Lite News Hamas on Friday reiterated its commitment to the ongoing ceasefire negotiations, responding to remarks by U.S. Special Envoy to the

No smoking gun in Epstein files: Trump briefed

Attorney General Pam Bondi briefed Trump and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche at the White House in May….reports Asian Lite News US President Donald Trump was informed earlier this year that his

Israel, US recall teams from Gaza truce talks

Steve Witkoff said mediators had made a great effort but “Hamas does not appear to be coordinated or acting in good faith”…reports Asian Lite News Israel and the United States recalled their

Trump presses Fed chief to cut rates

Fed chair pushes back on Trump criticism of renovation costs as president presses central bank to cut interest rates…reports Asian Lite News Donald Trump sparred with the Federal Reserve chair, Jerome Powell,

Dubai turns malls Into fitness zones

Dubai’s Mallathon reimagines shopping centres as fitness zones, encouraging residents of all ages to walk, run, and connect—fostering healthier habits in air-conditioned comfort….reports Asian Lite News In a bold move to blend
Go toTop

Don't Miss

‘India doing fantastic job in chairing G20’

Sunak will be in India to attend the G20 Summit,

Sunak thanks Modi for historic G20 Summit

Sunak announced $2 billion fund for Green Climate Fund —