Broughton responds to the UK DHSC plan to create a smokefree generation

A recent policy paper from the UK Department of Health and Social Care outlined how the UK government plans to create a smoke-free generation and tackle youth vaping. The paper outlined plans to bring forward legislation so that children turning 14 this year or later will never be legally sold tobacco products. The paper also acknowledges that vapes are substantially less harmful than smoking because they do not contain tobacco and, therefore can be an effective tool in supporting smoking cessation, but raises the potential harm associated with underage vaping.

The DHSC recently held a consultation which asked questions in 3 areas for which new legislation would be needed:

• Creating a smoke-free generation: on smoking, the case for change is clear and the UK Government and devolved administrations are consulting on the smoke-free generation policy and its scope to inform future legislation.
• Tackling youth vaping: while there is also significant evidence for action to tackle youth vaping, within each proposal the UK Government and devolved administrations are consulting on several options to ensure we take the most appropriate and impactful steps, building on England’s analysis of the youth vaping call for evidence.
• Enforcement: the consultation also asks questions on the proposal to introduce new powers for local authorities in England and Wales to issue fixed penalty notices to enforce age of sale legislation of tobacco products and vapes.

You can read our full response to the consultation by clicking here