Overview
- Parliament, which approved the Tobacco and Vapes Bill on Tuesday, finished passage through both Houses and sent it for royal assent with an expected start in 2027.
- The law sets a rolling age limit so anyone born on or after January 1, 2009 will never be allowed to buy tobacco.
- Ministers gain powers to restrict vape flavors, packaging, and use in child‑sensitive places such as cars with children, playgrounds, and areas near schools and hospitals.
- Officials back the move with figures showing around 64,000–75,000 smoking‑related deaths and roughly 400,000 hospital stays in England each year, plus multi‑billion‑pound NHS costs.
- Health charities praise a path to a smoke‑free generation, while critics including Nigel Farage warn of enforcement gaps and illicit sales and cite New Zealand’s 2023 repeal as a durability risk.