A Smoke Free Generation - A landmark moment for public health

A Smoke Free Generation - A landmark moment for public health

By Rachael Musgrave, Director of Public Health, Wigan Council

29th April 2026 marked a landmark moment for public health. The government’s Tobacco and Vapes Bill has now become law, creating the UK’s first smoke‑free generation by making it illegal to sell tobacco to anyone born on or after 1st January 2009.

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 drives cancer, heart disease and stroke, places huge pressure on the NHS, and continues to widen the gap in life expectancy between our most and least deprived 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.

As public health professionals, we know that information, advice and individual willpower can only go so far. Real, lasting change happens when policy and environments support healthier choices.

We’ve seen this before. The introduction of smoke‑free public places transformed norms, 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, 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. This balanced approach aims to protect young people from nicotine addiction while ensuring effective support remains available for adults who are trying to quit smoking.

Smoking is not evenly distributed across society. Rates are higher in more deprived communities, contributing to poorer health outcomes and shorter lives. That’s why action on tobacco is always about more than individual behaviour; it’s about fairness.

In Wigan Borough, our Progress with Unity missions are clear 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 also why we’ve taken local action alongside national policy. Our ethical advertising policy recognises the powerful role marketing plays in shaping 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. 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.