UK passes 'landmark' anti-tobacco bill to create a ‘smoke-free’ generation

Published on 22/04/2026 - 13:58 GMT+2

The United Kingdom has approved an anti-tobacco bill permanently restricting sales of tobacco products to anyone born on or after 1 January 2009.

Those affected will face a lifetime ban on buying cigarettes, vapes, and heated tobacco.

The policy raises the legal age of sale by one year, every year, blocking younger cohorts permanently.

The UK government called it a “landmark step” in creating a smoke-free generation. It includes several measures, such as banning vaping in cars with children, playgrounds, and outside schools to protect youngsters from second-hand smoking and vaping.

The UK government proposed the anti-tobacco bill last year to "break the cycle of addiction".

The policy could lead to health gains that build over time, with tens of thousands of additional healthy years of life, according to a study conducted by the University of Nottingham.

By 2075, the policy could deliver around 88,000 extra healthy life years compared with no new law, the authors of the study said. It added that smoking prevalence among 12 to 30-year-olds could drop below 5% by the late 2040s, decades earlier than expected without the policy.

Smoking is one of the leading causes of death and disability globally, responsible for more than 7 million deaths each year, according to the World Health Organization.

European governments have tightened controls on tobacco and nicotine products in recent years, as part of a broader push to reduce smoking rates among youth.

Belgium and Latvia banned the sale of disposable vapes in January 2025, citing concerns about their appeal to young people and environmental impact.

Meanwhile, Spain and France introduced new regulations to restrict outdoor smoking in public spaces last year.

The European Commission aims for a "tobacco-free generation" by 2040, reducing smoking rates to less than 5%, compared to around 25%, which it stands at today.