We are pleased that MPs voted in favor of the second reading of the Tobacco and Vaping Bill by a majority of 316 votes.

This bill proposes to raise the age of sale of tobacco products annually to protect future generations from the harms of smoking. The law means people born after January 1, 2009 cannot legally sell tobacco products.

Opening the debate, Health and Social Care Secretary Victoria Atkins said:
“The majority of smokers started smoking at a young age, and three-quarters said they would not have started smoking if they could turn back the clock.

“That’s why, through this bill, we will ensure that cigarettes will never be legally sold to anyone under the age of 15 this year, saving a generation of non-smokers from the misery of trying to quit over and over again. We are building a more productive economy and an NHS that delivers faster, simpler and fairer care.”

In the debate, Shadow Public Health Secretary Preet Gill, Labor MP for Birmingham and Edgbaston, highlighted the experience of BHF supporter and anti-smoking campaigner Eric Deason, who is also her constituent. During the debate, Mr. Gill said:

“As we heard today, smoking is not a free choice but an addiction. Raising the selling age will therefore help reduce pressure on the NHS by improving health and wellbeing. My vote Eric, the ward, knows this all too well. He’s one of the thousands of voters whose lives are at risk because of smoking. Like most smokers, Eric is a child. I started smoking when I was about 14 years old. It wasn’t until his fifties that Eric was able to quit cold turkey. At the request of his daughter, who urged him to do so on behalf of her newborn grandson, Eric suffered a heart attack and stroke and is living with high blood pressure, high cholesterol and COPD, as he says. , “COPD is an incurable and deadly disease.” And it becomes increasingly difficult for me to walk around. ”

The Tobacco and Vaping Bill will now proceed to committee stage, where it will be scrutinized in detail by the Bills Committee.

decisive action

Commenting on the second reading of the Tobacco Vaping Bill, our Chief Executive Dr Charmaine Griffiths said:

“I am very pleased that Members of Parliament have supported the Tobacco and Vaping Bill at Second Reading today. Smoking causes untold and unacceptable damage to public health, with at least 15,000 people dying in the UK every year. lives are lost to cardiovascular disease.

“This important legislation is a game-changer and will ensure future generations are protected from the devastating effects of smoking. We must take decisive action to end this public health tragedy.” Action is needed now. We call on politicians of all parties to support this historic bill as it passes through Congress and to enact it quickly.”

Learn more about smoking and heart health