The government has clarified rumoured plans around introducing a smoking ban in UK pub beer gardens and outside bars and clubs.
With the Tobacco and Vapes Bill now formally announced to Parliament, it is only a matter of time until a fresh smoking ban is introduced across the United Kingdom.
Following on from former prime minister Tony Blair's flagship smoking ban in 2007, prohibiting smoking in public places and places of work, Labour is looking to now bring in another form of smoking prohibition.
If passed in to law, the Tobacco and Vapes Bill will ban anyone born after 1 January, 2009, from buying cigarettes or any other tobacco product.
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Announcing the bill, the current government promised 'tougher action to better protect the public, NHS and the economy from the harms of smoking'. Roughly £2 billion is spent by the NHS treating smoking-related illness every single year.
On top of this, the government has promised to extend Mr Blair's smoking ban to specific outdoor spaces. It had been rumoured that beer gardens at the likes of pubs, clubs, and bars would be hit by this.
But in announcing the bill, Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting, confirmed they had not been targeted - adding that the government was not going to go after hospitality 'at this time'.
Speaking to Andrew Gwynne, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Public Health and Prevention, LADbible asked for clarification on this matter and if Mr Streeting's words meant a smoking ban was potentially on the table in years to come.
"It's not something that we're considering," Mr Gwynne told LADbible.
"We've been very open since the bill was formally published that when the law is passed, we will be consulting on outdoor smoke free areas around children's playgrounds, around schools, and around hospitals.
"That will be the extent of our consultation because there is a balance here. And we recognise that the hospitality industry has been going through some hard times."
Mr Gwynne added: "We recognise that there is a balance here in terms of ensuring that pubs in particular can continue to trade successfully.
"So our consultation on outdoor places will primarily be around areas where vulnerable people are most likely to be, like outside hospitals, where second hand smoking is incredibly harmful to them.
"And around environments where children are likely to be so children's playgrounds and schools."
In the same interview, the parliamentary under-secretary also confirmed to LADbible that you will not be prosecuted if you buy tobacco products and are born after 1 January, 2009.
Instead, the attention will be on the business that has sold you the product, as it is currently with selling alcohol and tobacco products to people who are under the age of 18.
"Most retailers are really responsible. They ask for the required ID, they challenge if they've not got the required ID," Mr Gwynne said.
He added that trading standards and environmental health officers will take 'appropriate action' if a business breaks the law.
Topics: Health, NHS, UK News, Politics, Pubs, Alcohol, Food And Drink
Tom Earnshaw