The director of the Tobacco Manufacturers’ Association (TMA), has branded the proposed ban on tobacco products as a “disproportionate attack,” while a Tory MP has joined others in stating he “cannot support the government.”
During his address to the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester on Wednesday, the prime minister announced measures to raise the smoking age annually and restrict the availability of vapes to children.
Rupert Lewis, the director of the TMA, stated that the proposed “generational ban” constitutes a disproportionate attack on the rights of adults to enjoy tobacco legally.
Speaking to The Epoch Times via email, Mr. Lewis argued that banning a category of “future adults” from purchasing tobacco would incentivize consumers to turn to unregulated, untaxed products, fueling the illegal tobacco trade.
A ‘Disproportionate Attack’
Mr. Lewis said: “Banning a category of ‘future adults’ from purchasing tobacco products is another wholly disproportionate attack on the rights of adults to enjoy a legal, legitimate product.“Such a ban will only further incentivise consumers to move away from purchasing legal, tax-paid products, to unregulated and untaxed products, fuelling the criminal trade in illegal tobacco.”
He highlighted the challenges this would pose to law enforcement, especially Trading Standards, and retailers responsible for implementing complex ID verification processes.
Mr. Lewis cited data from HMRC, indicating that 9 percent of cigarettes and 34 percent of rolling tobacco were smuggled into the UK in 2021/2022, resulting in a tax loss of £2.8 billion.
He cautioned that prohibiting legal products could bolster criminal gangs, as seen in South Africa in 2020 after a temporary tobacco ban, exacerbating a tax loss of over £50 billion since 2000 and affecting local communities.
While acknowledging a decline in smoking prevalence among young people, Mr. Lewis emphasised that the government should focus on enforcement against retailers selling tobacco to minors and invest in education campaigns.
Mr. Lewis added: “If the Government is serious about driving down smoking rates, then it should concentrate on stronger enforcement action against those retailers who sell tobacco products to minors, alongside more targeted-education campaigns, which are proven to be the most effective deterrents to prevent young people from taking up smoking.”
He questioned the logic of deviating from the standardised age of 18 and over for accessing restricted products, including tobacco, stating that such a move lacked practical sense.
The TMA director’s comments add to an ongoing debate about the proposed ban, reflecting concerns within the industry about its potential impact on legal markets and the emergence of illicit trade networks.
Andrew Rosindell, the Conservative MP for Romford, told The Epoch Times: “Everyone, most of all smokers, acknowledges the harmful impact of smoking on the health of the nation both medically and financially.
“Costing 64,000 deaths and £17 billion per annum, encouraging individuals to quit ought to be a priority.
“However, the solution cannot be to ban smoking. The practicalities are unclear, and the potential emergence of a significant black market is likely.”
Ban Would Be ‘Alien’ to UK
Mr. Rosindell expressed concern that such a move would be “alien” to the UK’s society based on personal freedom.He said, “Most importantly, this would amount to a draconian assault on personal freedom in a manner that ought to be alien to a country such as the UK.”
Speaking via email, Mr. Rosindell added: “As a Conservative, I believe in individual freedom under the rule of law, and therefore cannot support the government’s proposal to essentially ban smoking.
“This amounts to a furtherance of the ‘nanny state’–something I have always and will continue to oppose!”
Mr. Rosindell joins a growing faction of Tory MPs, including former Prime Minister Liz Truss, who have indicated that they will oppose the proposed ban.
However, Labour stated that the party “will not play politics with public health” and indicated they would “lend” the prime minister the votes needed to pass the law.
In his address last Wednesday, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said, “If we are to do the right thing for our kids, we must try and stop teenagers taking up cigarettes in the first place.”
He continued: “I propose that in future we raise the smoking age by one year every year. That means a 14-year-old today will never legally be sold a cigarette and that they and their generation can grow up smoke-free.”
Explaining the rationale behind the decision, Mr. Sunak added: “People take up cigarettes when they’re young; four in five smokers have started by the time they’re 20. Later, the vast majority try to quit. But many fail because they’re addicted and they wish they had never taken up the habit in the first place.”
