Creating a 'Smoke-Free Generation'

 by Thomas K

In October of last year, the UK government proposed a ban on the sale of all tobacco products to those born after 2009 in an attempt to create a “smoke-free generation”. The decision to enforce this law based entirely on one’s birth year is a surprising and unprecedented one. It immediately poses the question and threat of an increase in black market sales and would create an interesting dynamic among the younger generations as those born on the 31st of December would have drastically different rights to those born merely 24 hours later, for their whole lives. Contrastingly, it is likely that this will indeed create a smoke-free generation as those who might have started smoking, never will. In response to the worries about an increase in black market sales, Victoria Atkins MP, who delivered the opening speech for the second reading of the bill, referred to the law passed in 2007 which increased the smoking age from 16 to 18. At the time, there was a similar worry of an increase in black market sales, however, since then, data shows that smoking rates for 16-17-year-olds decreased by over a third, and black market sales fell by about 25%. The government seems to think that these trends are also applicable to the bill they want to pass now. However, one can argue that, where previously, 16-17-year-olds might have been able to wait an extra 2 years to be able to buy their cigarettes, and hence were less likely to acquire them illegally, with this new bill, people born after 2009 will never be able to legally purchase cigarettes, possibly making them more likely to try and get them illegally as they have no other options. Of course, this assumes that those born after 2009 will still be equally as attracted to tobacco products as our current population, which seems to be unlikely as smoking rates have been significantly decreasing since 2010. 

In that same year, Bhutan was the first country in the world to fully ban the sale and use of all tobacco products in public spaces, and anyone who was found using or selling tobacco in public faced a potential imprisonment of three to five years. This ban lasted for over a decade until it was altered during the COVID-19 pandemic to allow the sale of tobacco products within the country. Currently, the smoking rates in Bhutan between the ages 15-60 sit at 24%, arguably quite a high level given the fact that consumption of tobacco products was banned for ten years before now. In 2009, before the ban was implemented,  the smoking rate in Bhutan was approximately 23.7%, which does not indicate any noteworthy change as a consequence of the law.

The problems continue for the UK government as, if this law does indeed get passed, attempting to consistently enforce it might prove a challenge. Imagine in 50 or so years a 67-year-old having to provide identification to prove that he is not 66, a scenario that the conservative MP Edward Leigh called “ridiculous”. Moreover, many MPs from all different parties are calling this law a waste of resources as smoking rates are falling drastically anyway. However, one rate that does not seem to be decreasing is the popularity of vapes, especially disposable vapes where one cannot easily verify what is inside. Furthermore, a recent study finally confirmed a strong correlation between vapes and an increased risk of cancer. With this new law, the government is also trying to limit the marketing that goes into vapes to make them less appealing to children, limiting things such as flavour, type of packaging, and where vapes are able to be displayed. 

Personally, I think that this law, if it does get passed, will be successful in achieving what it set out to do. Children will never get into smoking or vaping as they would never have been able to purchase any such products, and hence live potentially longer and healthier lives, and those adults who use tobacco products currently will be able to continue to do so if they wish. The ban could also potentially save the UK government 14 billion pounds, as that is the cost to the economy due to the strain that smoking puts on the NHS. Furthermore, the removal of disposable vapes will improve the environment as they will no longer be chucked in a bush when finished. If the UK government does succeed in creating a smoke and tobacco-free environment, it would be the first nation to do so.