The Tobacco and Vapes Act

The Tobacco and Vapes Act:

• Makes it illegal to sell tobacco products to children born on or after 1 January 2009 to prevent the next generation from becoming addicted to tobacco.
• Gives the government powers to stop vapes and other consumer nicotine products (such as nicotine pouches) from being marketed to children.
• Gives the government powers to extend the ban on smoking in public places to some outdoor spaces and introduce vape-free areas. 

8 million lives have been lost to smoking since 1971. Together, we can end this epidemic and prevent future generations suffering from smoking-related diseases.

Key links and resources:

• The Smokefree Generation: Everything You Need to Know
• Answers to frequently asked questions about raising the age of sale
• Press release: Historic Smokefree Generation Law Will Protect 4 million Young People from Tobacco Addiction in Just 5 Years
• Smokefree Action Coalition briefing on the Bill for parliamentarians
• DHSC 'need to know' briefing on the Bill
• ASH briefing on tobacco industry tactics

The Act includes measures to create a smokefree generation and protect children from vapes and other nicotine products. This includes:

• Introducing a generational tobacco sales ban to phase out the sale of tobacco to anyone born after 2008. 
• Banning advertising and sponsorship for all consumer nicotine products, including vapes and pouches.
• Regulating zero nicotine vapes and novel nicotine products like pouches and introducing a minimum age of sale of 18. 
• Banning the free distribution of vapes and other nicotine products. 
• Giving trading standards officers stronger powers to enforce the law.
• Giving the government powers to:
  • Create outdoor smokefree and heated tobacco-free places and prohibit vaping in indoor smokefree spaces, school playgrounds and children’s play areas.
  • Prohibit child-friendly branding on vapes, such as sweet names and bright colours. 
  • Regulate vape contents, flavour descriptors, product design and promotion in shops. 
  • Create retail licensing and product registration schemes for tobacco, vapes and other consumer nicotine products.
  • Ban cigarette filters to reduce the environmental impact from smoking and make cigarettes less appealing. While the Government has not committed to this, it has amended the Tobacco and Vapes Act to take the necessary powers and is exploring the evidence.

The Act consists of measures which are clearly defined and have a set implementation date (like the generational sales ban) and powers which will require further consultation before they can be introduced (like outdoor smokefree spaces). Below we’ve set out a brief timeline describing what we know about when the measures in the Act will take effect. We will update this once the government confirms specific commencement dates. 

Immediately (from 29 April 2026)

• A comprehensive updated definition of tobacco product comes into effect making it clear that advertising of all tobacco products, including heated tobacco, is illegal. 

6 months after the passage of the Act (29 October 2026) 

• Introduction of a minimum age of sale of 18 for all consumer nicotine products (mainly impacting pouches) and zero nicotine vapes. 
• Ban on vending machines containing vapes or non-medicinal nicotine products (except for vending machines in adult inpatient mental health settings in England and Wales).
• Ban on the free distribution of vapes and other consumer nicotine products.

1 January 2027

• Generational tobacco sales ban comes into force meaning nobody born after 2008 can be legally sold tobacco.

June 2027

• Ban on advertising and sponsorship of vapes and consumer nicotine products.

2027-2029 following public consultation

• Introduction of smokefree, heated tobacco-free and vape-free places.
• Restrictions on packaging, display and contents for vapes and consumer nicotine products.
• Retail licencing and registration schemes for tobacco, vapes and consumer nicotine products.

• Starting on 1st January 2027, the legal age for tobacco sales will increase by one year every year, ensuring that individuals born on or after January 1, 2009, will never legally be able to buy tobacco.
• The law makes it illegal to sell tobacco to or purchase tobacco on behalf of anyone who falls under the age of sale. It will not criminalise underage purchase, possession or use of tobacco, so no one will ever be penalised for smoking.
• The government estimates that raising the age of sale each year will prevent up to 473,000 cases of stroke, heart disease, lung cancer and other lung diseases by 2100, leading to 155,000 fewer deaths. This will save the health and care system billions of pounds.

Despite significant progress in reducing smoking rates in recent years, there are still 5.3 million people in the UK who smoke. Smoking is number one preventable cause of death, disability and ill health, responsible for 80,000 deaths a year in the UK and 1-in-4 of all cancer related deaths. No other consumer product kills up to two-thirds of its users. 

Smoking puts huge pressure on the NHS, with almost one hospital admission every minute attributable to smoking and up to 75,000 GP appointments each month due to smoking-related illness.

The direct cost of smoking to the UK public finances in 2024 was £19.5bn. This mainly consists of lost economic productivity and health and social care costs. This is more than double the £8 billion the treasury raised through tobacco tax revenues. This means less money left over for vital public services.

The Act will prohibit advertising of vapes and other consumer nicotine products and gives the government powers to regulate their branding, packaging, contents and display. Vapes and other nicotine products are not included in the generational sales ban – this only applies to tobacco products. Vapes are treated differently because, while not risk-free, they are much less harmful than smoking and can help adult smokers quit. The Act focuses on making vapes less appealing and less accessible to children; while ensuring they are still available for adult smokers. 

Raising the age of sale to create a smokefree generation is supported by 69% of people in Britain, with just 12% opposed. The policy has broad cross-party support with 70% of those who voted Conservative in 2019, 74% who voted Labour, and 75% of those who voted Lib Dem. A majority (52%) of smokers also support raising the age of sale, more than double the proportion (24%) opposed.

See here for figures on public support for the generational sales ban in each constituency in Britain.

The tobacco industry tried and failed to block the Tobacco and Vapes Act in parliament and will do everything they can to discredit and undermine the legislation. The industry continues to deploy their extensive resources to spread misinformation and mislead the public. We also expect the industry to challenge the legislation in the courts, as they have done with previous tobacco control measures – see this ASH blog for more information. ASH and the wider health community will continue to challenge the industry and expose their tactics to ensure they do not succeed. 

• ASH briefing on tobacco industry tactics.
• Tobacco Tactics overview of industry attempts to lobby against the Tobacco and Vapes Act.
• You can check an organisation’s links to the tobacco industry through this database.
• Learn more about how tobacco companies have worked to block tobacco endgame policies in the UK and worldwide.

• The Smokefree Generation: Everything You Need to Know
• Answers to frequently asked questions about raising the age of sale
• Press release: Historic Smokefree Generation Law Will Protect 4 million Young People from Tobacco Addiction in Just 5 Years
• Smokefree Action Coalition briefing on the Bill for parliamentarians
• DHSC 'need to know' briefing on the Bill
• ASH briefing on tobacco industry tactics
• Press release: Tobacco and Vapes Bill becomes law
• ASH response to the consultation on ‘creating a smokefree generation and tackling youth vaping’
• 'Stopping the start' command paper, which sets out the rationale and impact for key measures in the Bill
• Article by the Chief Medical Officer: Protecting children, families and vulnerable from tobacco harms
• Comment: Smoking is something we should all embrace getting rid of. Bob Blackman MP, Co-Chair of the APPG on Smoking and Health
• News: The Tobacco and Vapes Bill is world leading and we can do more to tackle youth vaping. Professor Sanjay Agrawal, Chair of the Royal College of Physicians Tobacco Advisory group