What is Rishi Sunak’s anti-smoking bill and will it pass?

Rishi Sunak has introduced a bill which targets the production of tobacco and vaping products in order to create a smoke-free generation, an unprecedented move in the field of public health.

The Ban: What Is It And How Does It Work?

The legislation regarding tobacco and vaping guarantees that individuals who reach the age of 15 in 2024 or beyond will not be permitted to purchase cigarettes. Additionally, it strives to minimize the attractiveness of vaping products for younger audiences.

The new law won't completely prohibit smoking since those who are legally allowed to purchase tobacco may continue to do so even if the bill gets approved. However, it will make it unlawful to sell tobacco items to individuals born after January 1st, 2009. This notion was initially covered by the Guardian and shared by the prime minister during his speech at the Conservative party convention the previous year.

The plan is to increase the tobacco sale age by one year annually in order to prevent the younger generation from starting to smoke.

In addition to increasing the legal smoking age annually, the law also involves measures to control the advertising, ingredients, tastes, and wrapping of e-cigarettes and tobacco items.

Retailers who disobey the new restrictions can expect to be penalized by trading standards officers. The money collected from these fines will be used to fund additional enforcement measures.

What Are The Pros?

Leaders in healthcare, executives of the National Health Service and professionals in medicine assert that gradually eliminating smoking will safeguard the lives of many individuals. The act of smoking results in the unfortunate demise of approximately 80,000 individuals annually.

The government officials have expressed that young individuals aging from 14-30 years old may possibly have completely eliminated smoking by 2040 due to the law.

According to Prof Steve Turner, who heads the Royal College for Paediatrics and Child Health, preventing nicotine and tobacco addiction in children and adolescents reduces their risks of acquiring avoidable illnesses in the future. It also shields them from the negative effects of nicotine addiction.

According to the government, establishing a generation that does not smoke could halt over 470,000 cases of heart problems, stroke, lung cancer, and other illnesses by the conclusion of the present century.

According to statistics from the government, smoking is causing the UK to lose around £17 billion annually, with £10 billion of that figure being due to a decrease in productivity. This amount is significantly higher than the £10 billion gained through taxation of tobacco products.

Several members of the Conservative Party have raised objections about these proposals, including former Prime Minister, Liz Truss, who views them as being "not conservative" at all. Adding to this, predecessor Boris Johnson stated that the idea of a ban was "crazy".

Earlier this year, Truss voiced her opinion that a Conservative government shouldn't try to expand the role of the government in people's lives. She believes that by doing so, it will only help those who want to limit individual freedom.

The business secretary, Kemi Badenoch, cast the sole vote against sending the bill to a second reading. She stated that the responsibility of enforcement would lie with private businesses and that the bill challenges the notion of equality.

On X platform, she shared that it is unfair to discriminate against legally competent adults by making permanent differences in their rights based on their birth date. For instance, people born just a day apart should not be treated differently.

Additional Conservative Members of Parliament oppose the proposed measures, arguing that they are impractical and may result in the prohibition of other items. A previous cabinet minister, Sir Simon Clarke, expressed his concerns, stating that the plan would be difficult to enforce and could potentially lead to the prohibition of beverages such as alcohol.

When Will The Bill Be Approved?

The Lords are anticipated to have their last vote on the matter around mid-June when the bill surpasses its third reading there. However, there are numerous actions that must occur in the Commons beforehand.

On Tuesday, Members of Parliament had their initial chance to discuss and cast their vote on the bill. The initial obstacle of getting the bill through the Commons was surpassed with a vote of 383 in favor to 67 against, leading to a significant majority of 316 with the backing of the Labour party.

In April, the next stage of the process is the committee phase, which allows for proposed changes to be put forward. These changes will then be voted on in May, and finally, the Members of Parliament will vote on the bill's final reading.

"Chances Of Political Turmoil?"

57 Conservative MPs and six ministers, such as Badenoch, Julia Lopez, Lee Rowley, Alex Burghart, Steve Baker, and Andrew Griffith, were against it.

Reports stated that Penny Mordaunt, the Commons leader, was uncertain about her decision but ultimately chose to abstain from voting, just like 106 other Conservative MPs. Some of these MPs may have been absent for various reasons, like Jeremy Hunt, the Chancellor, who was en route to the International Monetary Fund gathering in Washington, D.C.

The most effective way for Tory opponents to delay the bill's approval is to introduce numerous amendments that may cause a delay in its progress.

Changes may involve a proposal to implement permits for shops selling vaping products, or to modify the age range impacted.

Opponents of the Tory party also hold the belief that there may be further challenges based on ideology in the House of Lords.

It is anticipated that the Lords will cast their final vote in June. Although they have obstructed Sunak's essential blueprint for deportation to Rwanda, they are unlikely to prevent the tobacco legislation.

Which Countries Tried To Ban?

New Zealand had planned to introduce a law in July that would have had strict anti-tobacco regulations. However, their new coalition government decided to reverse the decision in February. These proposed measures were some of the most stringent in the world and included forbidding sales of tobacco to those born after 2009, decreasing the amount of nicotine in tobacco products and drastically reducing tobacco retailers by over 90%.

Mexico has implemented strict regulations on smoking in certain places such as beaches, parks, and selected residential areas.

In the near future, Portugal is striving to achieve a smoke-free environment by 2040. Accordingly, they intend to prohibit the vending of tobacco products in bars and cafes. Similarly, Canada has taken the lead as the first nation to mandate health advisories to be imprinted on each cigarette.

The World Health Organization states that smoking bans in public places cover more than 25% of the global population.

Out of the 74 nations that have smoke-free regulations, Ireland was the pioneer in prohibiting indoor smoking in all workplaces back in 2004.