Can the United Kingdom create a smoke-free generation?

Governments around the globe are always looking for ways to lower the number of smokers in their countries. Recently the United Kingdom announced a new and ambitious plan.

A proposed law from the British parliament contemplates a plan to eradicate the habit of smoking in future generations.

The proposed law is that, from 2027 onwards, the minimum age for purchasing tobacco (currently 18 years old) will be increased by one year, each year, progressively. As a result, an entire generation will never be able to purchase the product legally in the country.

Adults, in turn, will be able to continue consuming tobacco, without restrictions. The new law will only be applied to teenagers in the United Kingdom.

In practice, the purchase of tobacco by anyone born after 2009 will be prohibited, that is, anyone who turns 15 on January 1, 2024, or later.

During the UK Parliament's plenary session on April 17, 2024, 383 MPs voted in favor, while 67 voted against.

To become law, the project still needs to receive official approval from both legislative houses. If so, the UK will be one of the most tobacco-restricted places in the world.

The initiative was submitted to Parliament by the government, however, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's party (photo) has not yet reached a consensus on the matter.

For defenders of individual freedoms, the proposal is seen as an excessive restriction. Additionally, there are concerns about the potential creation of an underground market.

Michelle Mitchell, chief executive of Cancer Research UK, the largest cancer charity in the UK, told The Guardian that the tobacco industry is employing some behind-the-scenes tactics to try to delay or even cancel the plans.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), smoking is the leading cause of cancer, both in the UK and around the world.

Photo: Unsplash - National Cancer Institute

Statistics reveal that smoking is responsible for more than 8 million deaths each year, including 1.3 million non-smokers exposed to secondhand smoke.

Photo: Unsplash - Ernst Gunther Krause

The British government says that smoking is still the main preventable cause of death, disability and health problems, causing around 80,000 deaths a year in the United Kingdom, the BBC reported. Around 13% of the country's population smokes.

Photo: Unsplash - National Cancer Institute

Brazil and the Netherlands achieved success after implementing tobacco control measures, such as increased taxes and greater control over advertising. Brazil has recorded a relative reduction of 35% since 2010, and the Netherlands is about to reach the 30% target, reported the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).

According to the latest estimates from the WHO tobacco trends report, there are around 1.25 billion (US scale) adult smokers worldwide.

WHO information indicates that 10% of young people aged between 13 and 15 years (37 million adolescents) worldwide consume one or more types of tobacco.

The WHO condemns tobacco companies' systematic attempts to addict minors. The director of the organization's Health Promotion Department, Rüdiger Krech, personally considers this strategy to be "criminal."

Photo: Unsplash - Markus Spiske