MP column: Andrew Gwynne on banning tobacco and vapes

This week, it is my unique honour to bring forward the Tobacco and Vapes bill, creating the first-ever smoke-free generation, and beginning to tackle the epidemic of vaping in children.

In 2007, under the last Labour government, we introduced legislation that prohibited smoking in all indoor places, saving thousands of lives, protecting the lung health of future generations, and making it easier for millions to quit smoking.

 In the intervening decades, great strides have been made in reducing the harm caused by smoking, but still, in 2024, over 74,000 people die from smoking-related causes every year, and 35% of all deaths due to respiratory diseases are attributable to smoking.

Smoking remains the number one preventable cause of death, disability, and ill health in the UK, costing taxpayers £3.1 billion a year and losing £18 billion in lost productivity every year due to smoking-related sickness.

 This is an issue we can ill afford to overlook; smoking costs lives, futures, and billions in lost productivity. That’s why I’m delighted to bring forward the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which brings in world-leading reforms to phase out smoking, protect the public, NHS, and the economy. Putting us on track to a smoke-free UK.

 Under the bill, we will begin increasing the age at which people can buy cigarettes, so no one born on or after the 1st of January 2009 can ever legally be sold cigarettes, breaking the cycle of addiction and disadvantage, and creating a generation that will never suffer the ill effects of smoking.

 There is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke, especially for children, whose lungs are still developing; that’s why we’re also taking steps to extend the indoor smoking ban to certain outdoor settings, like outside schools, hospitals, and playgrounds.

 Whilst tackling smoking, we also need to tackle the threat of vapes targeting and exploiting children, getting them hooked on nicotine from a young age.

 We’re banning vape sponsorship and advertising, eliminating flavours directly targeted to children and young people, and restricting vape packaging. Preventing vapes from exploiting children, whilst leaving them as a quit aid for smokers.

 I’m proud to support these measures that will protect us all from the harms of smoking, and most importantly protect our children and the most vulnerable for decades to come. Building a smoke-free generation, eliminating the scourge of childhood nicotine addiction, and protecting our NHS.