The United Kingdom has passed a law making it illegal to sell smoking products, such as tobacco, to anyone born in or after 2009. It will take effect in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales.
Wes Streeting is the U.K. Secretary of State for Health and Social Care. In a press release, he said the law is part of an effort to create a “smoke-free generation.”
The Tobacco and Vapes Bill was first passed by the U.K.’s Parliament on April 21. King Charles III then gave his royal approval on April 29. Parts of the law will take effect in January.
The U.K. is the second country to pass a generational tobacco ban. The Maldives did so in 2025. No one born after January 1, 2007, can buy tobacco products there.
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