During his address to Conservative Party Conference in Manchester on Wednesday, the prime minister announced measures to raise the smoking age annually and restrict the availability of vapes to children.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said, “If we are to do the right thing for our kids, we must try and stop teenagers taking up cigarettes in the first place, because without a significant change thousands of children will start smoking in the coming years and have their lives cut short as a result.”
He continued: “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.”
Explaining the rationale behind the decision, Mr. Sunak added: “People take up cigarettes when they’re young; four in five smokers have started by the time they’re 20.
“Later the vast majority try to quit. But many fail because they’re addicted and they wish they had never taken up the habit in the first place.
“And if we could break that cycle, if we could stop the start, then we would be on our way to ending the biggest cause of preventable death and disease in our country.”
‘Prohibition Doesn’t Work’
Simon Clark, director of the smokers’ rights group Forest, said: “These are desperate measures by a desperate prime minister.“Raising the age of sale of tobacco is creeping prohibition, but it won’t stop young people smoking because prohibition doesn’t work.
“Anyone who wants to smoke will buy tobacco abroad or from illicit sources.
“Future generations of adults who are considered old enough to vote, pay taxes, drive a car, and drink alcohol are going to be treated like children and denied the right to buy a product that can be purchased legally by people a year older than them.”
However, a senior policy fellow at The Health Foundation, Adam Briggs, reacted positively, saying, “Creating a smoke-free generation will have lifelong health benefits for young people, their friends, and families, reducing pressure on public health services, the NHS, and social care.”
Cancer Research UK’s Chief Executive Michelle Mitchell said: “Raising the age of sale on tobacco products is a critical step on the road to creating the first ever smoke free generation.
“If implemented, the prime minister will deserve great credit for putting the health of UK citizens ahead of the interests of the tobacco lobby.”
Proposal May ‘Breach Equalities Legislation’
Christopher Snowdon, head of lifestyle economics at the IEA, said: “Not only is this prohibitionist wheeze hideously illiberal and unconservative, it is full of holes.“It will create a two tier society in which adults buy cigarettes informally from slightly older adults and will inflate the black market in general.
“It may well breach equalities legislation and will very likely be challenged in the courts. It will certainly create huge problems for retailers and may ultimately require a system of national ID cards.”
Mr. Sunak declared that a vote on the proposal in Parliament would be a “free vote” and emphasized that passing it would be a “matter of conscience” for MPs.
In response, Labour stated that the party “will not play politics with public health” and indicated they would “lend” the prime minister the votes needed to pass the law.
In a wide-ranging address to the Conservative Party Conference, Mr. Sunak tackled critical social issues, outlining his government’s stance on health care, public health, immigration, and equality.
Mr. Sunak revealed a comprehensive NHS reform plan, including agreements with over a million NHS employees and a long-term strategy to double the number of doctors and nurses being trained.
On immigration, Mr. Sunak emphasized the non-negotiable nature of British people deciding who enters the country, and he proposed changes to the benefits system to end its misuse.
The prime minister also indicated the introduction of life terms with “no option for release” for violent sexual and “sadistic” criminals.
He also clarified his stance on women’s issues, stating, “A man is a man and a woman is a woman, that’s just common sense!”
Advocating for a more family-focused set of policy making, Mr. Sunak also reaffirmed the government’s commitment to equality, reminding those present that same-sex marriage was introduced by a Conservative government and celebrating Britain’s ethnic diversity.
