Health Secretary Victoria Atkins has advocated for legislative measures to establish a “smoke-free” generation through the proposed Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which would prohibit the sale of tobacco to individuals born after January 1, 2009. This initiative, aimed at preventing young people from ever starting to smoke, seeks to alleviate the burden of smoking-related illnesses on the National Health Service (NHS) and remove the constraints of nicotine addiction, which Atkins describes as a detriment to personal freedom.

The bill has generated a mix of support and opposition. Labour, via Shadow Health Secretary Wes Streeting, has expressed full support for the initiative, despite initial shock at the proposal coming from a Conservative government. On the other hand, some Conservative MPs, including former Prime Minister Liz Truss, have criticized the bill, labeling it as an overreach into personal freedoms and a form of “virtue-signalling.” Truss argued that the government’s approach infantilizes adults and unnecessarily expands its reach into personal lives.

The debate within the government continues to focus on balancing public health objectives against concerns regarding personal liberty and autonomy. Critics of the bill suggest that instead of imposing bans, focus should shift to other public health strategies and personal freedoms. Meanwhile, proponents, including Sir John Hayes, another Conservative former minister, argue for an improvement rather than outright rejection of the bill to better safeguard future generations without excessively limiting individual rights. The ongoing discussions in the Commons are set to further address these complex issues.