This is a major turning point for British public health. The government has passed legislation aimed at creating a “tobacco-free generation”. Concretely, all people born after January 1, 2009 will never be able to legally purchase tobacco products.
The United Kingdom thus becomes the second country in the world, after the Maldives, to introduce such a generational ban. Before her, New Zealand had also reached the milestone in 2022, before backpedaling.
A measure of protection, not a prohibition
While some critics point to the risk of trafficking, experts underline the fundamental difference between this ban and a classic ban. For Dr Olivier Galera, tobacco specialist, the issue lies elsewhere.
“The goal is not to prohibit the sale of tobacco to people who smoke, it is to protect those who do not yet smoke from becoming addicted. So it is very different. Those who smoke will always be able to buy their tobacco again,” he recalls.
The objective is clear: to break the cycle of nicotine addiction, described by the specialist as “chemical slavery”. For Dr. Galera, this is a process of abolition. “This decision allows non-smoking children to never fall into addiction. It’s a measure to protect new generations.”
The challenge of real enforcement of the law
If the measure is symbolically strong, its effectiveness will depend on its implementation, a sensitive point in Europe. Dr Galera recalls that in France, there are already laws prohibiting sales to minors, although they are largely circumvented.
“The sale of cigarettes to minors exists in France, but the law is not respected in practice. It is estimated that a third of tobacconists violate it on a daily basis.. According to him, the problem lies in the absence of real sanctions against them but also because of the power of their lobby.
Beyond tobacco: regulating vaping and outdoor spaces
British law does not stop at traditional cigarettes. It also plans to extend the ban on smoking in outdoor spaces (playgrounds, around schools and hospitals) and to tighten regulations on vaping.
An absolute necessity according to Dr. Galera. He emphasizes the dangerousness of passive vaping and denounces marketing targeting young people. “We cannot afford to have products with attractive marketing for young people. A withdrawal product must be neutral“.
Towards the end of the smoking era?
With this law, the United Kingdom hopes to turn the page on an era marked by colossal human and social costs: smoking is responsible for 80,000 deaths per year across the Channel. “The page turns. Unfortunately, it took a century to understand that putting smoke into your lungs is toxic.”concludes Dr. Galera.
Although implementation is complex, this legislation marks a strong political will to no longer bequeath the burden of addiction to future generations.