UK passes bill that will eventually ban cigarette purchases
Source: Associated Press
The United Kingdom has passed a landmark piece of legislation that will progressively ban cigarette purchases for future generations. The Tobacco and Vapes Bill cleared Parliament on Tuesday and now awaits formal approval by King Charles III before it can take effect. Under the new law, anyone born after December 31, 2008, will be permanently prohibited from buying cigarettes, meaning the minimum legal age to purchase tobacco will rise by one year, every year.
The legislation is considered one of the strictest antismoking measures in the world. It also grants the government broad authority to regulate tobacco, vaping, and nicotine products, including the ability to control flavors and packaging. Health Secretary Wes Streeting welcomed the law, declaring that children in the UK will become part of the first truly smoke-free generation, shielded from a lifetime of addiction and the serious health consequences associated with tobacco use.
Advocacy groups have celebrated the bill as a historic victory after decades of campaigning. Hazel Cheeseman, chief executive of Action on Smoking and Health, stated that the end of smoking and the devastating harm it causes is no longer uncertain but inevitable. The passage of this bill marks a decisive turning point in the country's long battle against tobacco, giving anti-smoking campaigners renewed hope that real change is finally within reach.
Currently, it is illegal in the UK to sell cigarettes, tobacco products, or vapes to anyone under the age of 18. However, most young people alive today will face this ban for the rest of their lives as the threshold rises progressively. Although the number of smokers in Britain has fallen by two-thirds since the 1970s, approximately 6.4 million people, around 13% of the population, continue to smoke according to official government figures.
Authorities report that smoking is responsible for roughly 80,000 deaths annually in the UK and remains the leading preventable cause of death, disability, and poor health in the country. The new law bears resemblance to legislation passed by New Zealand in 2022; however, that law was subsequently repealed by a later government. British policymakers hope this legislation will prove more durable and ultimately bring about a smoke-free society for generations to come.
Japanese translation
英国議会は、将来世代のタバコ購入を段階的に禁止する画期的な法案を可決した。「たばこおよびベイプ法案」は火曜日に議会を通過し、発効前にチャールズ国王の形式的な承認を待つのみとなっている。この法律により、2008年12月31日以降に生まれた人は永久にタバコを購入できなくなり、購入可能な最低年齢は毎年1歳ずつ引き上げられる。
この法律は世界で最も厳しい禁煙措置の一つとみなされている。また、政府にはたばこ、電子タバコ、ニコチン製品の規制に関する広範な権限が与えられ、フレーバーや包装の管理も可能となる。ウェス・ストリーティング保健相はこの法律を歓迎し、英国の子どもたちは依存症や深刻な健康被害から守られた、真の「タバコのない世代」になると宣言した。
禁煙推進団体は、数十年にわたる運動の末の歴史的勝利としてこの法案を歓迎した。「禁煙・健康推進機構」のチーフエグゼクティブ、ヘイゼル・チーズマン氏は「喫煙の終焉と、それがもたらす壊滅的な害はもはや不確かなものではなく、避けられない未来だ」と述べた。この法案の可決は、長年にわたるたばこ対策の歴史において決定的な転換点となった。
現在、英国では18歳未満へのたばこや電子タバコの販売は違法とされている。しかし、購入可能年齢が毎年上昇するため、現在の若者のほとんどは生涯にわたってこの禁止措置の対象となる。英国の喫煙者数は1970年代以降3分の1にまで減少したものの、政府統計によれば現在も約640万人（人口の約13%）が喫煙を続けている。
当局の発表によると、喫煙は英国で年間約8万人の死亡原因となっており、死亡・障害・健康悪化の最大の予防可能な要因であり続けている。この法律は2022年にニュージーランドが制定した法律と類似しているが、同国ではその後の政権によって廃止された。英国の政策立案者たちは、この法律が長続きし、将来的に禁煙社会の実現につながることを期待している。
Key vocabulary
- landmark legislationphrase
A law or legal act that is historically significant and marks an important change in policy or society.
和訳: 画期的な法律
The civil rights movement resulted in landmark legislation that transformed society for decades.
- take effectphrase
To become officially active or operational, especially referring to a law or policy.
和訳: 発効する・効力を持つ
The new environmental regulations will take effect at the start of next year.
- preventableadjective
Capable of being stopped or avoided through action or intervention, often used in medical or public health contexts.
和訳: 予防可能な
Many road traffic fatalities are preventable with better safety measures and stricter enforcement.
- repealverb
To officially cancel or revoke a law or regulation that was previously in force.
和訳: 廃止する・撤廃する
The opposition party pledged to repeal the controversial tax reform if elected to power.
