Health experts have welcomed a law which could help reduce the number of people who take up smoking, but others are concerned it goes too far.
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00:00Health experts have welcomed a law which could help reduce the number of people who take
00:05up smoking, but others are concerned it goes too far. The bill has now comfortably passed
00:10through its first vote in Parliament and if it makes it through would be a landmark public
00:15health intervention. But what exactly is the smoking ban? Officially titled the Tobacco
00:20and Vapes Bill, if passed would prohibit the sale of tobacco to people born on or after
00:25the 1st of January 2009. It also enables product requirements to be imposed in connection with
00:30tobacco, vapes and other products. It's part of a government scheme which sets out to create
00:35a smoke-free generation, an age group of people who will never be legally allowed to purchase
00:39cigarettes while reducing the appeal and availability of vapes. The proposed bill has been widely
00:45praised by campaign groups in terms of its health benefits, as well as pointing out the
00:49cost of treating smokers affects us all. But some who are opposed to the ban called it
00:54deeply illiberal, saying a ban impinges on adults' rights to do as they choose, as well
00:58as creating a two-tiered system which means some adults will be able to legally buy tobacco
01:02while other younger adults won't be able to.