The UK Parliament has passed a “landmark bill” to ban smoking among children who were born on or after 1 January 2009. Under the new Tobacco and Vapes Bill, people aged 17 or younger face a lifelong ban on buying cigarettes. Both the House of Commons and Lords settled on a final draft of the legislation that aims to create a smoke-free generation. Once it gets the royal assent, ministers will be able to regulate tobacco, vaping, and nicotine products, including their flavors as well as packaging. “This afternoon marks the end of this bill’s journey throughout parliament. It is a landmark bill; it will create a smoke-free generation,” Health minister Baroness Merron told the House of Lords on Monday. “It is, in fact, the biggest public health intervention in a generation, and I can assure all noble Lords it will save lives.” Noting that the Bill “does upset a great many people in that industry”, including retailers", Lord Naseby, a Conservative former MP, called for "a proper understanding of how we educate people not to take up smoking”. What Is The Tobacco and Vapes Bill It was first proposed by former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak On 4 October 2023 at the Conservative Party conference in Manchester. He shared plans to phase out cigarette smoking in the UK by raising the minimum age to purchase cigarettes from 18 each year, every year, until eventually no person can legally buy cigarettes. A similar proposal was made by the Labour Party earlier that year. Plans for the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, legislation implementing such a ban, were announced in the King's Speech during the 2023 State Opening of Parliament. The bill passed its first reading on 20 March 2024 and its second reading on 16 April 2024.Also read: Banning Tobacco Can Save 1.2 million Lives By 2095 On 24 October 2024, the new government announced a ban on the sale of single use vapes, effective from June 2025, in an effort to address environmental concerns and the rising prevalence of vaping among children. Under the new Bill, It is illegal to sell tobacco products to anyone born on or after 1 January 2009 It restricts advertising and sales of nicotine products. This includes a ban on selling vapes to anyone under 18 and selling them through vending machines. The bill also allows the regulation of vaping products The Bill expands smoke-free areas to include playgrounds and locations near schools and hospitals.Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Wes Streeting, called it an historic moment for the nation's health. "Prevention is better than cure – this reform will save lives, ease pressure on the NHS, and build a healthier Britain," he said.Also read: UK Bans Disposable Vape: Will This Really Stop Young People And Reduce Waste? How Does Smoking Kill? Smoking is the most common risk factor and the single biggest cause of preventable death for a host of diseases, ranging from respiratory diseases to tuberculosis to cancer. Smoking damages the human body and causes stillbirths, asthma, heart disease, stroke Dementia lung cancer other cancers.