Health column: Smoke Free Generation - A rare landmark moment for public health
It may have become a little lost amid major political and global events but there was a landmark moment for public health last month, the significance of which should not be overlooked.
On 29th April the government’s Tobacco and Vapes Bill became law, making it illegal to sell tobacco to anyone born on, or after, 1st January 2009 - and, in doing so, creating the UK’s first ‘smoke‑free generation’.
Make no mistake that this is one of the most significant public health reforms in a generation, and one that sends a clear signal: preventing harm before it begins matters.
Smoking remains the leading preventable cause of illness and early death in the UK. It significantly increases a person’s risk of cancer, heart disease and stroke, places huge pressure on the NHS, and continues to widen the gap in life expectancy across our communities.
The new law takes a bold, long‑term approach to breaking that cycle by ensuring today’s children never legally start smoking at all.
We know that information, advice and individual willpower can only go so far. Real, lasting change happens when policy and environments support people to make healthier choices.
We’ve seen this before. The introduction of smoke‑free public places transformed our societal norms and our general attitude to smoking, reduced exposure to second‑hand smoke, and delivered measurable health benefits. The Tobacco and Vapes Act builds on that legacy, shifting the focus firmly upstream towards preventing addiction rather than managing its consequences.
Importantly, the legislation doesn’t just address tobacco. It also gives government stronger powers to regulate vapes and other nicotine products, including restrictions on advertising, packaging and branding designed to appeal to children and young people.
Smoking rates are not evenly spread across society, and this hasn’t happened by chance. Tobacco companies have long concentrated their efforts in communities already facing the greatest pressures and where people are often under more stress in their day-to-day lives. This combination makes it more likely that people start smoking, as well as making it harder for them to quit.
This is exactly why the smoke-free generation matters. By removing the legal sale of tobacco to future generations, the new law begins to reset those environments, reducing exposure, availability and the influence of tobacco companies from the outset.
Action on tobacco is always about more than individual behaviour; it’s about fairness.
Here in Wigan Borough, as part of our Progress with Unity missions, we understand that improving health means tackling the conditions that shape it. From secure and healthy homes to good employment opportunities, we focus on changing systems, not blaming individuals.
That’s why, alongside national policy, we’ve taken action locally. Our new ethical advertising policy recognises the powerful role marketing plays in shaping people’s choices, particularly for children and young people. By restricting advertising that harms physical and mental health, including tobacco, vapes and other harmful products, we’re reinforcing the same prevention‑first principles that sit behind this new law.
Legislation alone doesn’t change lives, however. What matters now is implementation, enforcement and ongoing support.
The new Act is backed by national investment to strengthen local enforcement and support people to quit, but its success will depend on strong partnerships at every level. Local authorities, the NHS, Trading Standards, schools, community organisations and retailers all have a role to play in making a smoke‑free generation a reality.
In Wigan Borough, together with our partners, we will continue to focus on helping current smokers to quit, preventing young people from starting, and addressing the wider factors that make smoking more common in some communities than others. That means linking tobacco control with our work on poverty, mental wellbeing, housing and early years, not treating it as a standalone issue.
True landmark moments in public health are rare. The Tobacco and Vapes Act is one of them.
By choosing prevention, fairness and long‑term impact, we have an opportunity to protect future generations from addiction and harm, reduce health inequalities that have persisted for decades, and ease preventable pressure on our health and care services.
If we are serious about improving health and reducing inequalities, this is exactly the kind of action we should be taking, nationally and locally, together.
By Rachael Musgrave, Director of Public Health, Wigan Council
Posted on Thursday 21st May 2026