MPs to vote on smoking ban and vape sales ‘deliberately targeted at children’

MPs are to vote on the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which will give children and young people the protection they need to “avoid a life imprisoned by addiction”, the Health Secretary has said.

Wes Streeting said the number of children vaping is “growing at an alarming rate” and it is “unacceptable” that vapes are being deliberately targeted at children with flavours like “gummy bear and rainbow burst”.

The Bill prevents anyone born after January 1 2009 from legally smoking by gradually raising the age at which tobacco can be bought.

It also restricts sweet vape flavours and will review the packaging of e-cigarettes to reduce their appeal to children and young people.

Total ban

The legislation includes a total ban on vape advertising and sponsorship, including displays seen by children and young people such as on buses, in cinemas and in shop windows, bringing them in line with current tobacco restrictions.

Disposable vapes will be banned from June 2025 under separate environmental legislation, while the sale of vapes in vending machines and their free distribution will be stopped.

Mr Streeting said: “The number of children vaping is growing at an alarming rate and, without urgent intervention, we’re going to have a generation of children with long-term addiction.

“It is unacceptable that these harmful products are being deliberately targeted at children with brightly coloured packaging and flavours like ‘gummy bear’ and ‘rainbow burst’.

“The Tobacco and Vapes Bill provides the protection that children and young people need to avoid a life imprisoned by addiction. That’s why it’s so incredibly important it is voted through.”

Stop smoking services

As part of measures aimed at continuing to support smokers to quit, the Government will provide £70 million for stop smoking services, the Department of Health said.

This is in addition to hospitals being asked to talk about smoking with patients while delivering routine care, “making every clinical consultation count”.

Some £10 million is also being given to Trading Standards to crack down on illegal trade.

New data shows more than a million illicit vapes were seized inland by Trading Standards in 2023-24, a 59% increase compared with the previous year.

The Bill also includes powers to introduce a licensing scheme for retailers to sell tobacco, vape and nicotine products in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

On-the-spot fines of £200 are included for any shopkeepers found to be selling to anyone under age.

England’s chief medical officer, Professor Sir Chris Whitty, said of Tuesday’s vote: “If this major piece of legislation is passed, it will accelerate a smoke-free generation and lead to children never being trapped by addiction to cigarettes with lifelong harms to their health.

“The rising number of children vaping is a significant concern, and the Tobacco and Vapes Bill will help prevent marketing vapes to children, which is utterly unacceptable.

“Smoking results in direct harm across a person’s life course but also causes harms to others around them, including children, pregnant women and the medically vulnerable.

“Reducing the number of vulnerable people exposed to second-hand smoke, as well as preventing non-smokers taking up vaping is important and will improve the health of the nation.”

NHS national medical director Professor Sir Stephen Powis said: “Smoking remains the leading cause of preventable deaths and has a huge impact on the NHS, costing billions every year and we look forward to working with the Government and partners to ensure the next generation grow up smoke and vape free.”

Sarah Sleet, chief executive at Asthma and Lung UK, welcomed the vote and added: “The announcement of additional funding for smoking cessation services is desperately needed to help the tens of thousands of existing smokers who want to quit, which is incredibly difficult to do without support.

“Stop smoking services have suffered drastic cuts in recent years, but when they are appropriately funded they do a fantastic job of supporting people to stop smoking for good.”

Dr Ian Walker, executive director of policy at Cancer Research UK, said: “Tobacco still causes around 160 cancer cases every day in the UK, but with strong political will and bold action these staggering numbers can be turned around.

“By voting in favour of this historic legislation, MPs have the power to help save lives and make the UK a world leader in tobacco control.”

Harmful

Dr Ranee Thakar, president of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said: “Smoking, and exposure to second-hand smoke, can be very harmful to maternal and foetal health, increasing the risk of outcomes like stillbirth, miscarriage, pre-term birth and sudden infant death.

“Even second-hand smoke exposure increases the risk of miscarriage by around 10%.

“The impact of any poor pregnancy and birth outcomes on women and their families cannot be under-estimated.”

Simon Clark, director of the smokers’ group Forest, said the generational ban on the sale of tobacco “is unnecessarily divisive because it will create a two-tier society in which some adults have different rights to others”.

He added: “Denying future generations of adults the right to buy cigarettes and other tobacco products legally won’t stop people smoking.

“Creeping prohibition will simply drive the sale of tobacco underground and into the hands of criminal gangs and illicit traders.”

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill also gives the Government the powers to extend the indoor smoking ban to outdoor spaces – with children’s playgrounds, outside schools and hospitals all being considered in England, subject to consultation.

These places could also be made vape-free under the proposals.