Prime Minister Rishi Sunak outlined planned legislation to end the sale of cigarettes and tobacco products to create a ‘smokefree generation’.
The Office for National Statistics says that 13.3% of the UK population smoke, a figure that has been decreasing since the 1950s.
Action on Smoking and Health, or ASH, estimates that £2.5bn is the cost of smoking-related illnesses on the NHS.
ASH is welcoming the plans, calling the legislation a ‘landmark moment’. Hazel Cheeseman, Deputy Chief Executive of ASH said, “Tobacco has blighted so many lives, damaging our economy and public services in the process.”
Miss Cheeseman claimed that the public is in favour of the bill. Saying, “Public support for this change is high with 3 in 5 people backing the measure but this support is likely to grow.”
However, we carried out a survey asking Lincoln residents if they think banning tobacco products will stop people from getting and using them.
Out of the 32 people who answered, 87% said banning products will have little to no effect.
We also spoke to some Lincoln residents in detail about the bill. Bailey Postlethwaite thinks the Government runs the risk of making a tobacco ‘black market’.
Mr Postlethwaite was first asked the same question as the survey participants. He said, “No. I think there will be a new black market and criminal organisations in the future. Also, I think more people will turn to vaping.”
Bailey claimed he thinks most of the public would agree with him.
Oliver Grimwood, who studies Masters chemistry agreed with Bailey about the risk of a black market being formed. But also raised concerns about banning vapes.
Mr. Grimwood said, “That sort of study Is yet to come about, there are no proven side effects to vaping. There is insufficient evidence (to ban) at the moment.”
Many vape products have been marketed to help people quit smoking, according to ASH 7.6% of the population now vape.
Video explainer: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZGeJ6914x/