By ABUJAH RACHEAL

The United Kingdom has become the largest country to adopt a Tobacco Endgame policy after enacting a landmark Tobacco-Free Generation law aimed at phasing out tobacco use among future generations.

The development was contained in a statement made available to News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) by the Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) and signed by its Executive Director, Mr Laurent Huber.

NAN reports that the legislation, known as the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, was signed into law by King Charles III following a parliamentary process that received strong cross-party support.

The new law prohibits the sale of tobacco products to anyone born after 2008, effectively creating a Tobacco-Free Generation.

The restriction covers all products containing tobacco leaf, including cigarettes, cigars, loose tobacco, chewing tobacco, and heated tobacco products such as IQOS.

Reacting to the development, Huber described the policy as a historic step in global tobacco control and a major commitment to protecting public health.

“Today, the United Kingdom has taken a historic stand to protect future generations from the deadly, aggressive, and highly addictive tobacco industry,” he said.

He added that establishing a Tobacco-Free Generation goes beyond regulatory action, describing it as a long-term commitment to ensuring young people grow up free from tobacco-related harm.

According to him, Tobacco Endgame policies are designed to permanently change the structural, political, and social factors that sustain tobacco use, with the goal of eliminating it within a defined timeframe.

NAN reports that Tobacco Endgame strategies include measures such as phasing out retail sales, restricting access based on birth year, and progressively reducing the commercial availability of tobacco products.

In recent years, similar measures have been introduced in parts of the United States, including sales bans in cities such as Beverly Hills, California, and tobacco retail license phase-out policies in other municipalities.

In Massachusetts, several cities have also adopted Nicotine-Free Generation policies, reflecting a growing local movement to restrict future access to tobacco and nicotine products.

Globally, the Maldives has implemented a Smoke-Free Generation policy, while proposals for Tobacco-Free and Nicotine-Free Generation laws are currently under consideration in countries such as France and in South Australia.

Public health advocates said that the United Kingdom’s action sets a new global benchmark in tobacco regulation, particularly as it becomes the largest nation to adopt a generational sales ban approach.

They argued that tobacco products, which remain a leading cause of preventable deaths worldwide, warrant stronger regulatory action given their health impact when used as intended.

Action on Smoking and Health was founded in 1967 and is one of the world’s oldest anti-tobacco organisations.

It advocates for a future free from tobacco-related deaths and supporting policy measures aimed at reducing and ultimately ending tobacco use globally. (NAN)