The sale of cigarettes could be phased out if Labour wins the next general election, shadow health secretary Wes Streeting said, adding that the party would consult on bringing in New Zealand-style gradual ban on tobacco.
Last month, New Zealand announced plans to ban future generations from purchasing tobacco, prohibiting the sale of tobacco to anyone born on or after Jan. 1, 2009.
Streeting said this ‘fresh radical thinking’ could help ease pressures on the NHS. He added that the party is also looking at a range of other measures to make smoking unaffordable and inaccessible.
“One of the things that was recommended to the government in one of the reviews was phasing out the sale of cigarettes altogether over time. We’ll be consulting on that and a whole range of other measures,” Streeting told BBC
“The New Zealand Government is doing it. We want to see how that works, but I’m genuinely curious.”
Last June, an independent review led by Dr Javed Khan, commissioned by former health secretary Sajid Javid recommended the legal age of sale for tobacco products in England be raised by one year every year until eventually no one can buy such products.
Vape Business & Next Gen – 2023-01-11.
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