Exclusive: Sources say law could gradually increase smoking age to ultimately prevent sales to people born after certain year

Rishi Sunak is considering introducing some of the world’s toughest anti-smoking measures that would in effect ban the next generation from ever being able to buy cigarettes, the Guardian has learned.

Whitehall sources said the prime minister was looking at measures similar to those brought in by New Zealand last December. They involved steadily increasing the legal smoking age so tobacco would end up never being sold to anyone born on or after 1 January 2009.

  • cybirdman@lemmy.ca
    131·
    9 months ago

    It’s very easy to compare this to The Prohibition but the reality is alcohol is much more popular than tobacco. For someone who doesn’t drink, understanding the appeal of drinking in a social setting is way easier. With this law I don’t think there is a need for a black market of tobacco like there was with alcohol as it will still be available to purchase, just more controlled. The effect will be a reduction in exposure in younger generations that simply won’t find the need to start smoking. This works and in my province of Quebec since laws have been getting stricter the only people that still smoke are poor or raised by heavy smoker parents.

    • ikidd@lemmy.worldEnglish
      61·
      9 months ago

      Smoking is still more popular than soft drugs, and the same prohibition logic argues against marijauna laws quite nicely.

    • driving_crooner@lemmy.eco.br
      3·
      9 months ago

      Also, doing home made alcohol is pretty easy and pretty dangerous too, this is why is better to have it legal, regulated and restricted. Try to grow up your own tobacco.

      • TopRamenBinLaden@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
        2·
        9 months ago

        Growing tobacco is surprisingly easy depending on your environment, I guess. I know it definitely grows in the desert where I lived at the time.

        The harder part is actually curing it correctly after harvesting it. The curing process requires the right humidity and temperature and takes a while.

    • Dontfearthereaper123@lemm.ee
      2·
      9 months ago

      My first cigarette was bought from a black market dealer involved with the uda my countries main drug gang. Prohibition doesn’t work

    • quadropiss@lemmy.world
      22·
      9 months ago

      “WELL WHAT ABOUT” shut up, oh shut up. Ban drug = force people to do unsafe things to get an unsafe version of the drug. It’s simple. That’s how it worked, that’s how it works RIGHT NOW, and that’s how it will continue to work unless something fundamental changes in the society. Exposure won’t be reduced. Kids get tobacco illegally anyways. Nothing is changing for them. Next step after that is underground production of tobacco products which means PEOPLE WILL DIE