The Tobacco and Vapes Bill received Royal Assent on Wednesday, as sweeping generational tobacco sales restrictions and tighter vape controls became law.
The law raises the legal age for buying tobacco by one year, every year, starting with people born on or after January 1, 2009, meaning affected age groups face a lifetime ban.
The law, passed by the parliament last week, also tightens controls on vaping, including banning sales of vaping and nicotine products to under‑18s and restricting advertising, displays, free distribution and discounting.
The government says the measures will help reduce smoking and prevent young people from becoming addicted to nicotine, easing long-term pressure on the National Health Service.
Health secretary Wes Streeting said the approval of the bill was a "turning point" for the nation's health.
“By ending the cycle of tobacco addiction for future generations, we are taking one of the boldest steps in decades to prevent illness before it even begins,” he said.
“A smoke-free generation is now within reach, and this government is determined to deliver a healthier, fairer future for everyone.”
Smoking causes about 64,000 deaths and 400,000 hospital admissions a year in England, according to official estimates, and costs the NHS around £3 billion annually, with wider economic costs exceeding £20 billion.
Tighter rules on vaping
Vaping has also become a focus for policymakers, especially over concerns about youth uptake and nicotine addiction.
The government banned the sale of single-use or disposable vapes last year over concerns about youth use and environmental damage.
The new legislation will tighten those rules, with ministers gaining powers to regulate the flavours and packaging of tobacco, vaping and nicotine products through secondary legislation.
Around 10 per cent of adults in Great Britain - an estimated 5.5 million people - use vapes, according to health charity Action on Smoking and Health, with levels broadly unchanged since 2024, suggesting growth has begun to plateau.
About half of people who vape are former smokers, while around 40 per cent continue to smoke alongside vaping, the charity said.
Read more: UK vape crackdown could echo US trend as flavour bans linked to cigarette rise
The legislation maintains a nuanced stance on vaping, positioning it as a cessation tool for adult smokers while clamping down on youth uptake. Euan Stainbank MP, chair of the Responsible Vaping APPG, welcomed the balance, stating that vaping remains “the most proven option for smokers looking to successfully quit tobacco,” while backing tighter controls on marketing to minors.
“We have been a critical friend of the Bill as it passed through Parliament and welcome the government’s commitment to a separate consultation on vape flavours and advertising, continued support for vapes as a vital smoking cessation tool for adult smokers, and new funding streams for trading standards,” Stainbank said.
“The Responsible Vaping APPG has been working with the Government on this Bill, and we look forward to continuing to advocate for evidence-based policy as further, secondary legislation starts to come through.”
Industry stakeholders and public health groups broadly agree the law represents a watershed moment. Hazel Cheeseman, chief executive of Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), said the focus must now shift to supporting existing smokers to quit, noting that “it is no longer a question of if smoking will end but rather when.”
Former prime minister Rishi Sunak, who originally introduced the smokefree generation policy, highlighted cross-party backing for the measure, calling it a critical step towards ending smoking within a generation.
“I’m delighted that the smokefree generation policy which was introduced to Parliament when I was prime minister, is now on the statute book,” he said.
“This is not a party-political issue, as shown by the support from parliamentarians of all political persuasions. The bill tackles the single biggest entirely preventable cause of ill-health, disability, and death in our country. This legislation will put us on track to end smoking within a generation. It will make us a healthier country where people live longer and better lives.”