such a dumb law, are we really going to be IDing people in 20 years time to see if they are 37 or 38? If you want to do more to discourage smoking put up the tax on it and use that money to fund health interventions. Of course that would pose a minor inconvenience to rich retired people so cant expect the tories to do that.
Of course it isnt 100% but I know my parents gave up because it got too expensive. That's also why the money raised should be funnelled into intervention programs.
You want to really help respiratory health you actually go after industrial polluters with a regulatory body with teeth and bite strength of several Rottweilers... but that's none of my business. Sips tea
I really dislike this law because it seems like a gimmick. We've already had declining smoking rates in this country and there is a risk that banning cigarettes for youngsters could make them seem "cool" again due to the forbidden fruit factor.
More broadly I'm uncomfortable with the precedent being set where we as a society create two classes of people who are legal adults but have different rights.
I doubt that the UK could lead anything on this front. Drugs which are already banned in the UK are still consumed in the UK and beyond. I do not think it's possible to stop humanity from consuming drugs (incl. tobacco and alcohol). It's something we have done for thousands of years for a wide variety of reasons.
Banning alcohol didn't work in the long-term during the Prohibition era in America. People will always find a way to access these things, they will just be less safe whilst doing so and their money will not be taxed.
New Zealand tried a similar tobacco ban in 2022, and it got repealed about a year later in order to fund tax cuts (if I am remembering correctly). I forsee this going the same way if it actually passes.
If I understand this proposal they're not making smoking illegal for those born after 2009, just the purchase of tobacco products. As such, I can't really see what this is going to achieve.
Because if you think BAT et al are trying hard to stop this legislation, just imagine how much effort they'd put into stopping the UK going "right, off you pop"