STORY: :: The UK approves a lifetime smoking ban for people born after 2008
:: London, England / April 22, 2026
:: Gillian Merron, Member of the House of Lords
"It is a landmark Bill, my Lords. It will create a smoke-free generation. It is, in fact, the biggest public health intervention in a generation, and I can assure all noble Lords it will save lives."
:: The new law raises the legal age for buying tobacco by one year, every year
:: Sales of vaping and nicotine products to under-18s is also banned
The government says the measures will help reduce smoking and prevent young people from becoming addicted to nicotine, easing long-term pressure on the National Health Service.
Smoking causes about 64,000 deaths and 400,000 hospital admissions a year in England, according to official estimates, and costs the NHS around 3 billion pounds ($4 billion) annually, with wider economic costs exceeding 20 billion pounds.
Vaping has also become a focus for policymakers, especially over concerns about youth uptake and nicotine addiction. The government banned the sale of single-use or disposable vapes last year over concerns about youth use and environmental damage.
The new legislation will tighten those rules, with ministers gaining powers to regulate the flavors and packaging of tobacco, vaping and nicotine products through secondary legislation.
Around 10% of adults in Great Britain - an estimated 5.5 million people - use vapes, according to health charity Action on Smoking and Health, with levels broadly unchanged since 2024, suggesting growth has begun to plateau.
About half of people who vape are former smokers, while around 40% continue to smoke alongside vaping, the charity said.
