The British parliament has approved landmark legislation banning the sale of cigarettes to anyone born after 2008, a move the government says will make the United Kingdom a smoke free country for future generations.
Members of the House of Commons and the House of Lords agreed on the final version of the bill on Tuesday. It now awaits royal assent, which is regarded as a procedural step.
A generational ban on tobacco
Under the law, people born on or after 1 January 2009 will never be able to buy cigarettes legally. Health Secretary Wes Streeting described the vote as a historic moment, saying it would protect the first smoke free generation from a lifetime of addiction and serious health consequences.
Media reports say the UK becomes only the second country in the world to introduce a generational ban on tobacco sales, following the Maldives, which in November prohibited the sale of tobacco products to people born after 1 January 2007.
Wider restrictions on smoking and vaping
Beyond the ban on cigarette sales, the legislation introduces additional measures aimed at reducing smoking and vaping. Smoking will be prohibited in certain outdoor spaces, including playgrounds and areas around schools and hospitals.
The law also bans advertising for vaping products, restricts flavours and packaging, and prohibits vaping in places where smoking is already banned.
Members of parliament first approved the bill in March by 366 votes in favour and 41 against. From 1 June 2025, the Labour government had already banned the sale of disposable electronic cigarettes with bright colours and flavours popular among young people.
Health impact and international context
A similar ban introduced in New Zealand in 2022 was repealed after a change of government at the end of 2023.
Smoking is responsible for around 80,000 deaths each year in the UK and accounts for roughly one quarter of all cancer related deaths annually, according to official health data.
Source: CNA