British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is considering the introduction of measures to deprive the next generation of the opportunity to buy cigarettes, the Guardian reported.
Sunak is considering anti-smoking measures similar to laws announced last year by New Zealand, which include a ban on the sale of tobacco to anyone born after January 1, 2009, the publication cited by Reuters said.
“We want to encourage more people to quit smoking and meet our ambition to live smoke-free by 2030, which is why we have already taken steps to reduce the proportion of smokers,” a British government spokesman told Reuters.
Measures include free vaping kits, a voucher scheme to encourage pregnant women to quit smoking, and counseling and more, the spokesman said.
The policies discussed are part of a consumer-oriented new campaign by Sunak’s team ahead of next year’s election, the publication noted.
In May, Britain announced it would close a loophole that allowed retailers to hand out free samples of vape devices to children as part of a crackdown on e-cigarettes. Separately, councils in England and Wales called on the government in July to ban the sale of single-use wipes by 2024 on both environmental and health grounds.
Photo by cottonbro studio: https://www.pexels.com/photo/alcoholic-drinks-and-cigarettes-on-a-wooden-table-5921118/
