"Next Generation Permanently Banned from Buying Cigarettes... UK Moves to Raise Purchase Age with Strong Regulations"

Prime Minister's Office Reviews Policy Based on New Zealand Model
"Lifetime Ban on Tobacco Purchases Starting from a Certain Age"

The UK government is reportedly pushing a policy to prevent the next generation from purchasing cigarettes in order to encourage its citizens to quit smoking.

The British daily The Guardian reported on the 22nd (local time), citing sources, that Prime Minister Lisa Sunak is reviewing such a policy. The plan is to gradually raise the legal age for purchasing cigarettes, effectively blocking the current youth from buying cigarettes even after they become adults.

According to The Times, the Prime Minister's Office has instructed the creation of smoking regulations under the leadership of Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Chris Whitty, the government's top health advisor.

The UK's smoking restriction policy is modeled after the policy announced by New Zealand in December last year. The New Zealand government announced that from 2027, those born on or after January 1, 2009 (currently 14 years old), who will become adults that year, will be legally prohibited from purchasing cigarettes.

New Zealand plans to reduce the number of stores authorized to sell cigarettes to about 10% of the current level and also reduce the allowable nicotine content in cigarettes. This is the strongest level of smoking regulation in the world.

Similar to New Zealand, the UK Prime Minister's Office is reportedly considering various smoking restriction policies, including banning smoking in front of pubs and in parks, in addition to prohibiting smoking among the younger generation.

Earlier, the UK nonprofit organization ‘Banado’ proposed in a government-commissioned report last year a policy to raise the legal smoking age by one year annually, effectively banning cigarette purchases for certain age groups for life. The goal is to reduce the smoking rate from 14% to below 5% by 2030.

Then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson reportedly did not support such a strong smoking restriction policy proposal.

However, Prime Minister Sunak is personally known to detest smoking. The Times reported, “Besides the perspective of reducing the burden on the National Health Service (NHS), Sunak is deeply concerned about the harmful effects smoking has on the younger generation.”

There is also analysis that the upcoming general election next year is a background factor for Sunak pushing this policy. Recently, Sunak has released a series of consumer-focused policies likely to attract voters' attention. On the 20th, she announced measures to adjust the pace of climate action, including maintaining the 2050 carbon neutrality (net zero) target but postponing the ban on new petrol and diesel car sales from 2030 to 2035 by five years.

Reports have also emerged that the UK is considering reforming the university entrance system ‘A-levels’ to be closer to the International Baccalaureate (IB), which allows for more subjects to be studied. This has drawn criticism from the opposition Labour Party, accusing it of “unnecessarily causing educational confusion.”

However, the Labour Party is also reportedly reviewing the phased cigarette sales ban policy.