Rishi Sunak, who introduced the legislation during his tenure at Number 10, said that the Tobacco and Vapes Act will save thousands of lives.
The new law preventing children aged 17 or younger from ever legally buying cigarettes means the UK is “on track to end smoking within a generation”, a former prime minister has said.
Rishi Sunak, who introduced the legislation during his tenure at Number 10, said that the Tobacco and Vapes Act will save an “enormous” number of lives.
The legislation, which is designed to stop this generation of children from ever taking up smoking, has gone through its final hurdle and been given royal assent, making it UK law.
Health campaigners have hailed the new law as a “watershed moment” in public health.
Mr Sunak told the Press Association: “I’m absolutely delighted that the smoke-free generation policy is now going to be on the statute books.
“It’s going to make an enormous difference to the health of our country and it means that we’re going to be on track to essentially end smoking within a generation.”
Asked if the law was the favourite policy introduced under his tenure, Mr Sunak replied: “Well, much like children you try not to have favourites, but I think in terms of the things that I was able to do, the thing that will have probably the furthest reaching, biggest impact… this is probably the one just because, ultimately, it’s something that’s going to save an enormous number of lives.
“What this is going to tackle is the single biggest preventable cause of ill health and death in our country.”
He said the law would mean that “we’re going to make sure many more, mums, dads, brothers, sisters, children are going to be around for years to come”.
Government estimates suggest that under the new law, the total number of smokers aged 14 and over is estimated to fall from 5,502,164 in 2023, to 701,167 in 2056.
This number will continue to fall to less than 1,000 by the turn of the next century, according to the estimates.
The modelling also estimates that some 154,800 deaths will be prevented in England by 2100.
Smoking rates among those aged 14 to 30 are estimated to fall from 11.2% in 2023, to “effectively zero” by 2050, according to the Government document assessing the impact of the policy.
The UK is the first country in Europe to introduce such legislation – which means young people born on or after January 1 2009 will never be legally sold tobacco.
It was introduced by then prime minister Mr Sunak in October 2023 and was carried forward by the Labour Government when the party came to power in 2024.
Cancer Research UK has estimated that around 13 million children alive today will never be legally sold tobacco in the UK.
Michelle Mitchell, chief executive at Cancer Research UK, said: “This is a truly historic achievement that will help to save and improve lives. With the new law in place, we are moving towards a future where children will grow up shielded from the lifelong harms of tobacco.
“It will mean more people living a life free from the grip of deadly addiction, fewer people facing a cancer diagnosis and less pressure on an already overstretched health service.
“Today’s milestone is the result of decades of research, overwhelming support in Parliament, tireless campaigning and backing from people whose lives have been devastated by smoking.
“Governments across the UK must now ensure the Act is implemented fully in every nation, alongside support to help people quit smoking.
“A future free from the lethal harms of tobacco is firmly within reach.”
Charity Action on Smoking and Health (Ash) welcomed the news and called for more to be done to help people who currently smoke.
Stopping smoking is one of the best things you can do for your health. It gives your lungs a chance to repair, and you’ll start to feel the benefits within days or weeks.
It’s never too late to quit.
— NHS (@NHSuk) March 11, 2026
Ash chief executive Hazel Cheeseman said: “This is a truly watershed moment in public health.
“It is no longer a question of if smoking will end but rather a question of when.
“Smoking has prematurely taken millions of lives in the UK over the last 50 years.
“Ridding our society of the pain and suffering it causes is a gift to future generations.
“This is a moment to be seized, not only to protect the generations to come but to accelerate our support for the millions who are already smoking.
“Age should be no barrier to being part of a smoke-free future – whether you’re 70 or 17, now is the time.”
Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) for 2024 suggest that 9.1% of adults in Britain smoke cigarettes daily or occasionally, equating to around 4.9 million people.
A decade earlier – in 2014 – some 18.8% of British adults aged 16 and older were cigarette users.
Ms Cheeseman added: “This law will help protect future generations from a lifetime of tobacco addiction, but ministers must now match that ambition with urgent action to help the millions of people who still smoke today.”
The law will also introduce new powers to create a retail licensing scheme, ban the advertising and sponsorship of all vapes, and give ministers the power to regulate the flavours, packaging and display of all vapes and other nicotine products.
It will also allow the expansion of the restrictions on indoor smoking to additional places.
In England, this could include extending smoke-free outdoor places to outside schools, children’s playgrounds and hospitals – but not pub beer gardens and beaches.
