Today 21/03/24 a bill to ban the next generation from ever being able to buy cigarettes, by putting the legal age to buy cigarettes up by one year at a time, is to be discussed in parliament. As are plans on vaping and children.

I have already said that I cannot see how upping the age yearly can work without a functioning ID system, which we do not have in the UK. Yesterday at least 60 of the Conservative government 80 MP’s majority in Westminster, declared they intend to vote this down, I guess that PM Sunak will loose this one. If he had simply put the age for buying cigarettes up to 21 immediately, that could have worked. The opposition to this is about the rights of adults to do what they want with their health. 

Interestingly smoking and vaping brings in around £10 billion in tax and duty a year, but smoking alone is costing the NHS £17 billion to treat the long-term serious health damage to smokers in a year.

The only intention the vaping part of the bill is to restrict the range of flavours, and child friendly packaging. Also to change how vapes containing nicotine are displayed in shops, by moving them out of sight of children and away from the likes of sweets. It will also make it illegal to give away free vapes to anyone under 18. Increase the on the spot fines, to those selling vapes to under 18’s on top of the £2,500 current fines, which have barely been applied. 

The total shambles of lumping vaping in with tobacco laws, has  within three years led to 20% of under 18’s vaping and therefore becoming nicotine addicts. 

The PM has bottled his promise to completely ban the disposable vapes favoured by children and young people. Too big a step in an electioneer, when your party  has accepted a £350,000 donation from one of the top vapid companies. Money, profits clearly more important to this government than our children’s health. 

WATCH THIS SPACE AND PLEASE COPY AND PASTE ANY OF MY THOUGHTS TO YOUR OWN MP’S