The United Kingdom has passed landmark legislation banning the sale of tobacco to anyone born after 2008, setting the country on a path to phase out smoking for future generations.
Parliament approved the bill on Tuesday, advancing one of the world’s most aggressive anti-smoking measures to King Charles III’s desk.
The policy creates a “smoke-free generation” by raising the legal purchasing age for tobacco products by one year each year, meaning those who are now under 17 will never be legally able to buy cigarettes or other tobacco products.
Under the new law, retailers will be prohibited from selling tobacco products, including cigarettes, cigars, and rolling tobacco, to anyone born after Jan. 1, 2009. The legislation does not criminalize possession or use, but focuses on restricting supply through sales.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting championed the bill as a historic measure, saying that “prevention is better than cure.”
Data show that smoking is
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