Rishi Sunak announces plan to ban smoking for next generation

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has announced a plan to ban smoking for the next generation. Mr Sunak announced at the Conservative Party conference on Wednesday that he will propose raising the smoking age by one year, every year - meaning a 14-year-old today will never legally be sold a cigarette.

He said more must be done to “try and stop teenagers taking up cigarettes in the first place”. Mr Sunak told the Conservative party conference in Manchester that “a 14-year-old today will never legally be sold a cigarette,” under new legislation. “If we are to do the right thing for our kids, we must try and stop teenagers taking up cigarettes in the first place,” he said. READ MORE: Andy Burnham and Northern leaders' last-ditch plan to save HS2 if Rishi Sunak axes Manchester legREAD MORE: The Tories have insulted Greater Manchester again - it all feels very familiar “Because without a significant change thousands of children will start smoking in the coming years and have their lives cut short as a result.” He added: “I propose that in future we raise the smoking age by one year every year. “That means a 14-year-old today will never legally be sold a cigarette and that they and their generation can grow up smoke free.” The Prime Minister also said he will bring forward measures to restrict the availability of vapes to children.

He added: "We must act before it becomes endemic, so we will also bring forward measures to restrict the availability of vapes to our children, looking at flavours, packaging displays and disposable vapes. “As Prime Minister, I have an obligation to do what I think is the right thing for our country in the long-term.