UK Parliament Debates Law Phasing Out Smoking

The law would ban the selling of tobacco products to anyone born after January 1, 2009 - effectively raising the smoking age by a year each year until it applies to the whole population.

The UK parliament on Tuesday kicked off its first debate on Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's planned flagship legislation to prevent young people from smoking, despite opposition from many in his own Conservative Party.

The law would ban the selling of tobacco products to anyone born after January 1, 2009 - effectively raising the smoking age by a year each year until it applies to the whole population.

"This has the potential to phase out smoking in young people almost completely as early as 2040," the government said when it unveiled the plan, calling the move "historic".