Majority opposed to generational tobacco ban

The second reading of the new Tobacco and Vapes Bill will has its second reading in the House of Commons tomorrow.

If you remember, Rishi Sunak's Tobacco and Vapes Bill got to the same stage in April before it was aborted ahead of its third reading when the former PM called a general election.

Labour whipped its MPs to support Sunak's Bill so it passed the second reading relatively comfortably, although there was some opposition from Conservative MPs who were given a free vote.

Fifty-eight Tories voted against the Bill, including Kemi Badenoch who was the only Cabinet minister to do so.

Unfortunately many of the rebels lost their seats or retired at the general election so it's impossible to judge how many of the 121 Tory MPs who made it back to parliament (including the newbies) will vote against the new Tobacco and Vapes Bill.

It would be nice to think they will take their lead from their new leader – a certain Kemi Badenoch – but I suspect that the parliamentary Conservative Party is still full of paternalists or, worse, authoritarians who will be only too happy to support the Bill.

One of them, sadly, is an MP who is (or was!) a personal friend of mine. I was shocked that he voted in favour of Sunak's Tobacco and Vapes Bill and sent him a note saying exactly that, but he didn’t reply. (I shall be watching closely to see how he votes tomorrow!)

Anyway, last month – having commissioned a poll on the proposed ban on smoking outside pubs that demonstrated strong opposition to the plan (which was subsequently dropped) – Forest commissioned a further poll on the subject of the generational tobacco sales ban.

Conducted by Yonder Consulting, 60% of respondents said that if people are allowed to drive a car, join the army, purchase alcohol, and vote at 18, they should also be allowed to buy cigarettes and other tobacco products.

Fewer than a third (31%) said they should not be allowed to purchase tobacco when legally an adult, while 9% said 'don't know'.

We have just released the results of the poll, with this comment:

“A generational ban on the sale of tobacco is unnecessarily divisive because it will create a two-tier society in which some adults have different rights to others.

“Eventually it will create the absurd situation whereby a 40-year-old can purchase cigarettes and other tobacco products, but someone born a few days earlier will be denied the same right.”

“MPs need to think very carefully about the unintended consequences of raising the legal age of sale of tobacco.

“Denying future generations of adults the right to buy cigarettes and other tobacco products legally won't stop people smoking.

"Creeping prohibition will simply drive the sale of tobacco underground and into the hands of criminal gangs and illicit traders.”

Apart from the generational sales ban, the Tobacco and Vapes Bill will also give government the power to extend the smoking ban to outdoor spaces including outside schools and hospitals.

If passed without amendments, the Bill will also give government the power to ban or restrict the marketing of vapes, and restrict eliquid flavours.

It's not too late to write to your MP on the subject. To find your MP (and their email address) click here.