According to Reuters, the UK government proposed a bill during a parliamentary meeting on Wednesday, March 19th, that would ban the legal purchase of tobacco for children under the age of 15 this year. If passed without amendments, this bill, known as the Tobacco and e-Cigarette Bill, would be one of the strictest anti-smoking laws globally.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak stated, "In order to build a better future for our children, we need to address the biggest preventable health threat - smoking." However, this bill has faced opposition from some members of the ruling party, including former Prime Minister Liz Truss.
Despite opposition, the bill is expected to pass, with the opposition Labour party indicating their support for the measure.
The UK government has stated that smoking causes approximately £17 billion (equivalent to $21.63 billion US dollars) in losses to the UK healthcare system and economy each year. At the same time, the sharp increase in e-cigarette use among teenagers and non-smokers has prompted the UK government to consider tightening regulations.
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