UK Government Proposes Strict Tobacco and E-Cigarette Act

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Mar.20.2024

UK Government Proposes Strict Tobacco and E-Cigarette Act

UK government proposes tobacco and e-cigarette bill banning under-15s from purchasing, aiming to combat health threats, sparking debate.

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.

References:

[1] UK to introduce bill to phase out smoking among young people

Also Read:

[1] UK HMRC to Implement New E-cigarette Tax System Digitally

[2] Haypp Group Calls for Safer Nicotine Trading Laws in UK

[3] UK LGA Urged Stricter Fines for Businesses Violating E-cigarette Ban

[4] Illegal E-Cigarettes Sold on Snapchat Seized in Gloucestershire, UK Residential Raid

[5] UK Disposable Ban: Definition and Penalty Details Disclosed

[6] Economist: The Holes in British Plans to Ban Cigarettes and Disposable Vapes

[7] UK Plans to Implement Additional Tax on E-Cigarettes in 2026

[8] Citibank: New E-cigarette Tax may Reflect Well on Tobacco Giants

[9] £4000 Worth of Illegal E-cigarettes Seized in Hinckley by Authorities in UK

[10] JTI Launches Mayfair Gold Sales Competition with £50,000 Prize

[11] Potential Impacts of Proposed E-cigarette Tax in UK

#Europe #Traditional tobacco #Legislation #United Kingdom #UK

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