Labour’s new Tobacco and Vapes Bill will be the biggest public health intervention in a generation – breaking the cycle of addiction and disadvantage and putting us on track towards a smoke-free UK, ensuring that children turning 15 this year or younger can never legally be sold tobacco.

Smoking is the number one preventable cause of death, disability and ill health in the UK. It causes around 80,000 deaths a year, causes 1-in-4 of all cancer deaths and kills up to two-thirds of its long-term users.

The previous Conservative government reneged on its commitment to a ‘Smoke-Free Generation’. The new  UK Labour government will deliver on our commitment, just as we did in 2007. We are acting now to ensure that the rising tide of ill health in society caused by 14 years of Tory inaction doesn’t overwhelm our NHS. Prevention is better than cure.

The Bill will ban the advertising and sponsorship of vapes and nicotine products and allow ministers to regulate the flavours, packaging, and display of vapes so that they do not appeal to children. All vaping and nicotine products will be banned from being sold to under-18s, and we will also ban the free distribution of these products.

We are also taking measures to make most public places and workplaces smoke-free and vape-free.

To tackle the illicit market and protect legitimate businesses, the Bill also provides powers to introduce a new retail licensing scheme for tobacco, vapes, and nicotine products in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as well as strengthening Scotland’s existing retail register.

It will also introduce a new £200 fixed penalty notice in England and Wales, which will enable Trading Standards Officers to act ‘on the spot’ to clamp down on offences such as underage sales.

The Labour government will also provide law enforcement and regulatory powers to establish a new registration system for tobacco, vaping and nicotine products entering the UK market, which will strengthen consumer safety and overall enforcement.

This historic legislation will save thousands of lives and protect the NHS.