Key Points
- Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has proposed new laws banning young people from buying cigarettes.
- Under Sunak's anti-smoking plan, the legal age to buy cigarettes would be raised by one year every year.
- If the proposals pass, the UK would become the first country in Europe to ban cigarette sale to young people.
United Kingdom has proposed banning younger generations from ever buying cigarettes, a move which would give the UK some of the world's toughest anti-smoking rules.
The proposals - if they pass into law - would make the UK the first country in Europe to ban cigarette sales to younger people.
Denmark is considering a similar move.
They could phase out smoking among young people almost completely as soon as 2040, a government briefing paper with details of the proposals said.
"A 14-year-old today will never legally be sold a cigarette," Sunak told the Conservative Party conference of his proposed new rule.
Under his anti-smoking plan, Sunak said the smoking age would be raised by one year every year, meaning a younger generation could grow up "smoke free," improving the country's health.
Sunak also plans to bring forward measures to restrict the availability of vapes to children.
The government will consult on restricting the flavours and descriptions of vapes so that they can no longer be targeted at children, the briefing paper said, adding the government would also look at regulating vape packaging and presentation.
The proposed smoking ban is similar to one , which became the first country to stop those born during or after 2009 from legally buying cigarettes.
The ban would take effect in 2027.
Sunak said smoking costs the UK's health services 17 billion pounds ($33 billion) a year and cancer deaths could fall by a quarter if people stopped smoking.
According to Cancer Research UK, smoking remains the UK's biggest cause of cancer, responsible for an estimated 55,000 cancer deaths in the UK each year.
The policy would hurt companies that earn a relatively large portion of earnings from their UK cigarette businesses.
Campaign group Action on Smoking and Health welcomed Sunak's plans, adding they could hasten the day when smoking was obsolete.
The tobacco industry criticised the proposals, with the Tobacco Manufacturers Association calling it a "disproportionate attack".
The smoking policy would need to pass a free vote in the UK parliament.
This means MPs can vote however they like rather than in line with party policies.
