The UK will ban the sale of tobacco to people born after 2008

The House of Commons and the House of Lords in the United Kingdom have approved a bill that permanently bans shops from selling tobacco to people born after January 1, 2009.

The goal of the reform is to create the first smoke-free generation, according to the BBC. The bill also grants ministers new powers to regulate the packaging and flavoring of vapes and nicotine products.

The legislation expands restrictions on vaping, banning it in cars with children, at playgrounds, and near schools and hospitals. At the same time, the use of e-cigarettes will be permitted outside medical facilities to support those trying to quit smoking, as well as in the homes and gardens of pubs. Health Secretary Wes Streeting called the decision a historic step that will reduce the burden on the healthcare system and save thousands of lives.

Representatives of public organizations, including Asthma + Lung UK, supported the bill’s passage, emphasizing the need to hold the tobacco industry accountable. Activists urged the government not to stop supporting adult smokers in their efforts to quit. The new measures aim to combat the leading preventable cause of death and disability in the country.

India’s Ministry of Health has officially confirmed a ban on e-cigarettes and tobacco heating systems, rejecting numerous requests from Philip Morris International to revise the 2019 law. 

In Brazil, a man named Luis Carlos, born in 1908, has been found to be in good health despite having smoked a pack of cigarettes a day for over 55 years while living in a nursing home. His case has drawn attention due to the rarity of such longevity among smokers.