So the UK Parliament has now passed a landmark law (UK Tobacco and Vapes Bill) making it illegal for anyone born on or after 1st January 2009 to ever purchase tobacco products. The aim being that children today will become the first smoke free generation and that I very much welcome!
It does make me wonder though how effective it will be. I was 12 when I started and easily had access to cigarettes, mostly from older kids I hung out with and from a sweet shop (I kid you not) where the owner used to sell them in singles to us on the quiet for about 13p per cigarette, so dodgy! They will find a way if they really want to but then again, times are different now and smoking is much more frowned upon than before.
Maybe this new law will be the deterrent that is needed, making it more difficult for them to start and that can only be a good thing. I guess time will tell. It does seem odd though that in the future, it'll be illegal for a 39 year old to purchase tobacco but not for a 40 year old.
Anyway, at least something is being done to stop people getting addicted.