By Catarina Demony
LONDON (Reuters) – British lawmakers will on Tuesday debate and vote on plans to introduce some of the world’s strictest anti-smoking rules, including banning younger people from smoking.
The Tobacco and Vapes Bill aims to make vapes less appealing and would ensure anyone aged 15 this year, or younger, would be banned from ever buying cigarettes.
It would ban vape advertising and the sale of vapes in vending machines, as well as restricting vape packaging and flavours that overtly appeal to children and young people, such as bubble gum and cotton candy.
“The number of children vaping is growing at an alarming rate and without urgent intervention, we’re going to have a generation of children with long-term addiction,” said Labour health secretary Wes Streeting.
The previous Conservative government announced similar measures to create the first smoke-free generation. However, those plans failed to become law before the general election in the summer.
Britain banned smoking in almost all enclosed public spaces, including bars and workplaces, in 2007.
Subject to consultation, the new bill would give the government powers to extend the indoor smoking ban to specific outdoor spaces, such as children’s playgrounds and outside schools and hospitals.
The government previously abandoned plans for a ban on smoking outside pubs and cafes after concerns were raised about the impact on the hospitality industry.
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The bill would introduce a licensing scheme for retailers to sell tobacco, vape and nicotine products, and fines of 200 pounds ($251.04) to retailers found to be selling these products to people underage.
Expanding the use of standardised packaging to all tobacco products will also be explored.
“Tobacco still causes around 160 cancer cases every day in the UK,” said Ian Walker, executive director of policy at Cancer Research UK. “But with strong political will and bold action, these staggering numbers can be turned around.”
If the bill passes on Tuesday, it would progress to the next parliamentary stage.
($1 = 0.7967 pounds)
(Reporting by Catarina Demony; Editing by Christina Fincher)
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