LONDON (AP) 鈥� Opponents of smoking got a breath of fresh air as Parliament passed a bill that will put cigarettes out of reach for future generations.
鈥淭he end of smoking, and the devastating harm it causes, is no longer uncertain 鈥� it鈥檚 inevitable,鈥� Hazel Cheeseman, chief executive of Action on Smoking and Health, said after a decades-long campaign in favor of legislation approved Tuesday.
Children born after Dec. 31, 2008 will be banned from ever buying cigarettes under the Tobacco and Vapes Bill.
The legislation that needs approval by King Charles III 鈥� a formality 鈥� before taking effect will also allow the government to regulate tobacco, vaping and nicotine products, including flavors and packaging.
It is currently illegal to sell cigarettes, tobacco products or vapes to people under 18. But most youths today will continue to face a ban their entire life as the minimum age to buy cigarettes rises each year.
The passage gives the U.K. one of the toughest antismoking measures in the world. The law is similar to one but that was then repealed by a subsequent government.
The number of people who smoke in Britain has declined by two-thirds since the 1970s, but some 6.4 million people 鈥� or about 13% of the population 鈥� still smoke, according to official figures.
Authorities say smoking causes some 80,000 deaths a year in the U.K, and remains the number one preventable cause of death, disability and poor health.
鈥淐hildren in the U.K. will be part of the first smoke-free generation, protected from a lifetime of addiction and harm,鈥� Health Secretary Wes Streeting said.
Copyright © 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
