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UK smoking ban for those born after 2009 starts journey into law
Rishi Sunak's plan to ban anyone born after 2009 from buying cigarettes is starting its journey into law.
The Tobacco and Vapes Bill means anyone turning 15 this year, or younger, will never legally be sold cigarettes.
The government says smoking itself will not be criminalised, so anyone who can legally buy tobacco now will not be prevented from doing so in future.
But if the bill is passed it will give the UK some of the world's toughest anti-tobacco laws.
It will effectively raise the legal age people can buy cigarettes by one year every year, with the aim of stopping today's young people from taking up the habit in the first place.
The draft law also contains powers that will allow ministers to introduce restrictions on vape flavours and packaging intentionally marketed at children.
This could change how vapes, which contain nicotine, are displayed in shops, moving them out of sight of children and away from other products such as sweets.
Other powers in the Tobacco and Vapes Bill mean shops that fail to clamp down on underage sales of tobacco and vapes will be given £100 on-the-spot fines.
This is in addition to the maximum £2,500 fine that local councils can already impose. It will also be illegal for retailers to give free samples of vapes to under-18s.
Separately, the government has committed to ban disposable vapes from April 2025 under environmental laws.
Conservative MPs will get a free vote on it - meaning they will not be told which way to vote by party bosses - and some are expected to oppose it.
But the bill is almost certain to become law later this year, because Labour is backing the ban.
Source: BBC News 20 March 2024
See also: Tobacco and Vapes Bill Factsheet
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Vapes could be limited to four flavours
Vapes may be limited to four flavours and sold in plain packages under draft laws published on Wednesday.
Ministers are handing themselves powers to make sweeping restrictions on flavours and packaging, and will spend the next few months deciding on the details.
Rishi Sunak said a Tobacco and Vapes Bill published on Wednesday would “save thousands of lives” as it imposes a phased ban on smoking and clamps down on e-cigarettes that appeal to children.
An impact assessment published alongside the bill estimates that the measures will have little health impact over the next two decades, given how long it takes for smoking-related illness to develop, but by the end of the century will save 155,000 lives.
Some ministers want to limit vapes to a handful of specified flavours, after a consultation found significant support for restricting either ingredients or permitted flavours. These are likely to include tobacco, mint, menthol and fruit flavours.
Others in government are less convinced and fear being too restrictive could put off adult smokers who like sweet flavours. They prefer restrictions that specifically target flavours most appealing to children.
However, they acknowledge the concern that banning specific flavours targeted at children could lead retailers to switch to very similar products — for example banning “strawberries and cream” flavour could see the emergence of “strawberries and ice cream”.
The bill gives powers to ministers to “impose prohibitions, requirements or limitations” of any form on the ingredients or flavour of vapes.
On packaging, the bill allows ministers to restrict the design, markings, materials, texture, size and shape of vape products. Options range from banning cartoon characters and other child-friendly images to tobacco-style plain packaging.
A consultation is expected shortly with the aim of announcing new rules before a general election expected in autumn. Retailers would then get six months before restrictions came into force.
Source: The Times, 20 March 2024
See also: Tobacco and Vapes Bill impact assessment
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Tobacco and Vapes Bill will create “positive impact” for young people and future generations
2024 will go down in history as the year that heralded the beginning of the country’s first Smokefree Generation, thanks to historic new legislation that has been brought to Parliament.
The impact of this is significant, as analysis for Action on Smoking Health (ASH) by UCL researchers suggests that approximately 127,500 young adults aged between 18 and 25 start smoking regularly each year in the UK.
Research shows that 83 per cent of smokers start before they are 20 years old, and that the earlier someone starts, the more likely they are to smoke in later years. It has also been found that teenagers are nearly three times more likely to smoke if their caregivers or friends do.
As well as support from Cheshire and Merseyside’s health and care system, young people in the subregion also support the Bill. Laura Whiteside, a 17-year-old from Kirkby in Knowsley and member of the Knowsley Youth Cabinet, attended an All-Party Parliamentary Group meeting on smoking in the House of Commons on national No Smoking Day to have her say about the legislation. The event was attended by Andrea Leadsom MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary for the Department of Health and Social Care, who reinforced her support and determination to see this Bill pass through the Parliamentary process.
Speaking about her experience of smoking and the importance of this legislation, Laura said:
“As a young person who was affected by smoking from a very young age, I feel this new legislation to create a Smokefree Generation will have a very positive impact for young people now and for future generations"
“I started smoking at the age of 15 because it was easily accessible to me and socially accepted in my family, I hope that this new legislation will put an end to that and help people who were in my situation."
“I have seen people suffer health conditions from smoking, so it means a lot to me that thanks to this Bill, fewer people will go through that at any age."
“It’s amazing that the Government is focusing on this, as it has been such a problem is society for a very long time, and continues to be, due to the number of young people who still think it’s ok to start smoking and using vapes.”
Source: Knowsley News, 20 March 2024
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Smoking may increase belly fat, study suggests
Smokers may have more belly fat – particularly visceral fat – compared to those who do not smoke, research suggests.
Visceral fat is the fat that surrounds the internal organs in the abdomen and is linked to a higher risk of heart disease, diabetes, stroke and dementia.
It can be hard to see, scientists say, as a person can still have a flat stomach and carry unhealthy amounts of visceral fat, raising the risk of serious illness.
And while smokers tend to have lower body weights than non-smokers, they also have more abdominal visceral fat, they add.
The study, published in the journal Addiction, found that both starting smoking and lifetime smoking may increase visceral fat.
The team, at the University of Copenhagen’s NNF Center for Basic Metabolic Research, looked at data from European ancestry studies involving 1.2 million people who started smoking and over 450,000 lifetime smokers.
Lead author Dr German D Carrasquilla said: “From a public health point of view, these findings reinforce the importance of large-scale efforts to prevent and reduce smoking in the general population, as this may also help to reduce abdominal visceral fat and all the chronic diseases that are related to it.”
Meanwhile, another study suggests tobacco exposure before birth and beginning smoking during childhood or adolescence is associated with the development of Type 2 diabetes later in life.
“From a public health point of view, these findings reinforce the importance of large-scale efforts to prevent and reduce smoking in the general population, as this may also help to reduce abdominal visceral fat and all the chronic diseases that are related to it.”
Source: Daily Mail, 21 March 2024
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