British lawmakers vote for strict anti-smoking rules

LONDON: British lawmakers voted overwhelmingly in favour of plans to introduce some of the world’s strictest anti-smoking rules, giving the green light for the bill to progress to the next parliamentary stage.

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill aims to make smoking and vaping less appealing and would ensure anyone aged 15 this year, or younger would be banned from ever buying cigarettes.

After a lengthy debate in the British parliament’s House of Commons, a total of 415 lawmakers voted in favour of the bill while 47 voted against it.

It would ban vape advertising and the sale of vapes in vending machines, as well as restricting vape packaging and flavours that overtly appeal to children and young people, such as bubble gum and cotton candy.

“The number of children vaping is growing at an alarming rate and without urgent intervention, we’re going to have a generation of children with long-term addiction,” Labour health secretary Wes Streeting said.

There was some criticism of the bill, including concerns around its impact on British civil liberties.

Conservative lawmaker Robert Jenrick said on X that he voted against it, adding: “Educate more, ban less. Say no to the nanny state.”

The bill will now go to the committee stage ahead of the third reading in the House of Commons of the U.K. It will then move to the House of Lords before receiving the “Royal Assent” – a formality that does not involve further debate.

Subject to consultation, the new bill would give the government powers to extend the indoor smoking ban to specific outdoor spaces, such as children’s playgrounds and outside schools and hospitals. Britain banned smoking in almost all enclosed public spaces, including bars and workplaces, in 2007.