Oct. 4 (UPI) — In a groundbreaking announcement at the Conservative Party conference, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak shared his innovative strategy to prevent smoking-related deaths among future generations. Under his plan, the age to purchase cigarettes will be raised by one year annually, aiming to render them unavailable for purchase altogether.
This initiative, regarded as one of the world’s most stringent anti-smoking measures, would have far-reaching effects, ensuring that fourteen-year-olds of today never have the opportunity to buy tobacco.
“There is no safe level of smoking,” emphasized the Prime Minister during his impactful speech at the conference. He further stressed, “If we want to protect the well-being of our children, we must prevent teenagers from ever taking up smoking.”
Sunak voiced his concerns about the dire consequences of inaction, warning, “Without significant change, thousands of children will start smoking in the coming years, curtailing their lives prematurely.”
England has already implemented measures such as the prohibition of smoking in public places and an increase in the legal smoking age to 18. Despite these efforts, over 5 million smokers exist in England, contributing to the six million smokers across the United Kingdom, as reported by the Office for National Statistics.
The Prime Minister affirmed that smoking remains the leading cause of preventable ill-health, accounting for one in four cancer-related deaths. Notably, tobacco use escalates the risks of various conditions, including strokes, heart disease, dementia, and stillbirth.
An important aspect of Sunak’s plan involves granting members of parliament a free vote on the proposed tobacco regulations. These regulations would mandate an annual increase in the age of sale, as suggested by a review commissioned by the government in 2022.
Sunak substantiated his proposal by referencing the success of past age restrictions. He stated, “When we raised the smoking age to 18, the prevalence of smoking declined by 30% among that age group. Similarly, the United States witnessed a 39% decrease in smoking rates among 21-year-olds after implementing a similar policy.”
While smoking rates have been steadily declining since the 1970s, the popularity of vaping has been on the rise. Sunak acknowledged this issue and declared, “We will also introduce measures to limit children’s access to vaping products, including evaluating aspects such as flavors, packaging, displays, and disposable vapes.”
A noteworthy campaign called “Stoptober” is currently being promoted by Public Health England to encourage smokers to take a break from cigarettes. However, this initiative faces challenges in regions such as Mid Devon, where more than 25% of the population still smokes. High rates of smoking are also prevalent in areas like East Sussex and Lincoln, making them potential hotspots for opposition to the Prime Minister’s plan.
In addition to saving lives, Sunak’s vision aligns with the government’s objective of making England virtually smoke-free by 2030, while also generating substantial cost savings for the country.
“We have an opportunity to reduce cancer deaths by a quarter, alleviate immense burdens, protect our children, and we must seize it,” concluded Sunak passionately.
