The legislation will make it an offence to sell tobacco products to anyone born on or after January 1 , 2009 . In effect , the law will stop children who are turning 14 or younger this year from ever legally being sold tobacco products – raising the smoking age by a year , each year , until it applies to the whole population .

According to Action on Smoking and Health , about one out of every eight people in the UK smokes and according to the NHS , around 76,000 people in the UK die from smoking every year .

According to GOV . UK : ‘ In 2022 , the government launched an independent review into tobacco control policies , led by Dr Javed Khan OBE . Following extensive consultation , the review made recommendations to support the government ’ s target to be smoke-free by 2030 ( prevalence of 5 % or less ). The most ambitious was a proposal to raise the age of sale for tobacco year-on-year indefinitely , to ensure that future generations never start smoking .’

Currently , there are several devices available that offer themselves as alternatives for smokers such as heated tobacco , e-cigarettes and vapes , but in recent years these devices have been used as more ‘ enjoyable ’ methods of taking nicotine , even if the user hadn ’ t smoked cigarettes previously .

There are numerous platforms , websites and apps offering guidance and support for those wanting to quit smoking . One app even utilises AI to recognise when a user is entering a location where they used to smoke .

However , as always , the digital realm offers two sides , one that is supportive with its quitting apps and educational platforms , and the other , which includes underage sales and social media ’ s romanticisation of smoking , allowing impressionable people , mainly the youth , to want to start the habit .

As part of the new legislation , there will be restrictions on online sales introduced as the number of children accessing cigarettes online is addressed as a concern , with NHS data from 2021 showing that 8 % of 11 – 15-year-olds reported buying tobacco products online in 2021 , compared to 2 % in 2018 .

Technology has many roles to play in this movement , so we ask two experts who are arms-deep in the smoke-free healthcare space our question of the month : What technology will make the PM ’ s ‘ Smoke-free ’ generation possible ?

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