UK Tobacco and Vapes Bill Passes, Limiting Youth Access

Key points:

• The Tobacco and Vapes Bill of the UK has passed its third reading in the House of Commons. The bill aims to prohibit the sale of tobacco and related products to individuals born after January 1, 2009, with the goal of creating a "smoke-free new generation".
• Labour Party MP Jenny Riddell-Carpenter successfully quit smoking with the help of an e-cigarette and is now calling for restrictions on "big tank" e-cigarette devices.
• Health Minister Ashley Dalton shared her experience of quitting smoking and expressed her support for the continued advancement of the bill.

According to a report by The Independent on March 26th, the UK Tobacco and Vapes Bill has passed its third reading in the House of Commons with 366 votes in favor and 41 votes against. The bill proposes to ban the sale of tobacco and related products to those born after January 1st, 2009, with the aim of creating a "smoke-free new generation.

British Labour Party MP Jenny Riddell-Carpenter attempted to amend the Tobacco and Vapes Bill this Wednesday (26th), demanding that the Health Minister immediately ban "mods" and "extension" devices that increase the e-cigarette liquid capacity, potentially exceeding the limit of 2ml per device. The act already includes provisions for the Health Minister to regulate the appearance, size, and shape of e-cigarette products.

Health Minister Ashley Dalton rejected her proposal, stating that regulations can better manage the "technical details" of the large number of products that need to be addressed.

Riddell-Carpenter stated that she was able to successfully quit smoking through the use of e-cigarettes, and that children starting to use e-cigarettes is "one of the most concerning crises facing young people and children today.” She pointed out that there are e-cigarettes on the market that can hold 10 milliliters of refillable pods, meaning that it is essentially a "3000 puffs" e-cigarette.

In response to Jenny's proposal, Ashley shared her experience of quitting smoking and pointed out that the government has been given the power to restrict the production and sale of large quantities of e-cigarette products, including limiting the capacity of e-liquid cartridges and devices, and banning the use of other harmful substances.

Currently, the bill will be submitted to the upper house for further review.