Bill to phase out smoking advances in UK parliament despite opposition

LONDON: A contentious bill that aims to eventually phase out smoking in Britain advanced in parliament on Tuesday, as the House of Commons voted in favour of the controversial measure.

The bill would ban the selling of tobacco products to anyone born after Jan 1, 2009 – effectively raising the smoking age by a year each year until it applies to the whole population.

The UK parliament kicked off debate on Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s planned flagship legislation on Tuesday, despite opposition from many in his own

Conservative Party.

“This has the potential to phase out smoking in young people almost completely as early as 2040,” the government said when it unveiled the plan, calling the move “historic”.

In the first vote of the bill, 383 MPs voted in favour with 67 voting against. The bill will need to be adopted by the House of Lords to become law.

Among those who opposed the bill were nearly 60 Conservative MPs and other senior secretaries of state.

Conservative MPs were given a free vote, meaning they were able to defy the government without fear of being suspended from the party. Smoking is the UK’s biggest preventable killer and opinion polls show that around two-thirds of people in the UK back a phased smoking ban.

However, libertarian-leaning MPs on the right of the ruling

Conservatives, including former prime minister Liz Truss, have branded the move an attack on personal freedoms.

Opening the debate for the government, Health Secretary Victoria Atkins told the House of Commons that there is “no liberty in addiction”. — AFP