The Faculty of Public Health (FPH) supports the world-leading Tobacco and Vapes Bill as it moves to Report Stage this week and urges Parliament to ensure its swift progress.
The flagship smokefree generation policy within the bill will protect the health of future generations by raising the legal age of tobacco sale by one year, every year, from January 2027 so that anyone born on or after 1 January 2009 will never legally be sold tobacco products.
Despite progress in recent years, smoking remains the single greatest cause of health inequalities in the UK driving illness, death, and poverty, particularly in the most vulnerable communities where smoking rates remain highest.
Over 80,000 people in the UK die each year due to smoking, with many more living with serious smoking-related illness.
Government modelling shows that raising the age of sale year on year could prevent up to 472,950 cases of stroke, heart disease, lung cancer and other serious conditions by 2100, saving tens of thousands of lives and reducing pressure on health and care services.
President of the Faculty of Public Health, Professor Tracy Daszkiewicz, said:
“This bill represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to protect communities across the UK from the immense harm caused by tobacco.
By taking this world-leading approach to tackling the harms of smoking we can prevent thousands of premature deaths, significantly reduce health inequalities, and reduce pressure on our health services.
The Faculty strongly urges Parliament to ensure the swift passage of this landmark legislation and deliver a smokefree future for everyone across the UK.”
