British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is reportedly considering a stringent proposal that would prohibit the next generation from ever purchasing cigarettes, according to a report in The Guardian.
Sunak, who is said to strongly dislike smoking, has expressed interest in implementing a law similar to the one enacted by the New Zealand government under former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern last year.
New Zealand’s groundbreaking anti-smoking laws prohibit those aged 14 and younger from ever buying cigarettes, effectively outlawing the habit for the next generation entirely.
According to The Times, Downing Street has instructed civil servants reporting to Professor Sir Chris Whitty, the chief medical officer, to draft a proposal for tobacco control aligned with Sunak’s vision.
A government source cited by the publication stated, “Sunak is personally very concerned about smoking, both in terms of its impact on young people and the NHS.”
In 2021, a government-ordered review proposed various measures to achieve the goal of having fewer than five percent of the population smoking by 2030, down from the previous 14 percent.
“We want to encourage more people to quit and meet our ambition to be smoke-free by 2030, which is why we have already taken steps to reduce smoking rates,” commented a government spokesman.
Former Barnardo’s chief Javed Khan, who proposed the idea, also advocated for a ban on smoking in outdoor spaces to create a “social norm” and a prohibition on some council housing tenants from smoking in their homes. However, former Prime Minister Boris Johnson rejected these proposals.
In addition to considering a ban on cigarette sales to the next generation, Sunak is reportedly contemplating restrictions on disposable vapes, cartoon packaging, and flavors that appeal to children.
In New Zealand, the new laws introduced in 2023 include a complete ban on selling tobacco to anyone born on or after January 1, 2009, along with an annually increasing smoking age.
This ban remains in effect for a person’s entire life and carries a fine of up to NZ$150,000 ($95,910). These laws are part of New Zealand’s efforts to become “smoke-free” by 2025.
The legislation also aims to reduce the nicotine content in smoked tobacco products and significantly reduce the number of tobacco retailers in the country by 90 percent. However, these restrictions do not apply to vapes, which some New Zealanders have reportedly turned to after the cigarette ban.
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