Smoking ban to protect children comes before parliament UK parliament

A comprehensive smoking ban in the UK is a step closer to becoming reality. The British government’s Tobacco and Vapes Bill has been introduced to parliament in London. This bill aims to alleviate pressure on the state-run National Health Service (NHS) and address the health risks associated with smoking, one of the UK’s leading causes of preventable death.

Symbolic image of a woman smoking. AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster

If passed—which is likely, given the governing Labour Party’s majority—the bill would position the UK among the strictest nations globally on smoking regulations.

What’s in the Proposed Smoking Ban?

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill outlines several measures:

Anyone who turns 15 or younger this year would never legally be able to buy cigarettes, with the goal of creating a smoke-free generation. Additionally, the bill will expand the current indoor smoking ban to include specific outdoor areas. Proposed locations include children’s playgrounds, areas outside schools, and hospitals in England, though these locations will be subject to consultation.

The bill also seeks to ban vape advertising and sponsorship by vaping companies, amid growing concerns over the increasing number of young people taking up vaping. Health charities have welcomed the bill as a crucial step in reducing smoking, a leading cause of cancer in the UK.

For the bill to come into force, it must first pass through the House of Commons and then gain approval from the House of Lords.

Smoking in the UK

Smoking rates in the UK have been on a steady decline. In 2011, 20% of UK adults smoked, but by 2023, this figure had fallen to 12.9%—about one in eight adults—according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The likelihood of being a smoker in the UK has decreased since records began in 1974.

As smoking rates have decreased, vaping rates among adults have risen; in 2023, 5.9% of people aged 16 and over vaped daily, a slight increase from the previous year.

Smoking Trends in Ghana

In Ghana, smoking rates are lower than in the UK. The 2023 Ghana STEPS Survey found that 4.8% of adults aged 18–69 currently smoke, with a clear difference between men (9.3%) and women (0.3%). Although the overall rate is low, more than half of current smokers in Ghana smoke daily.

Of those who currently smoke, 7.8% use shisha, with younger adults (18–29 years) being more likely to do so. Notably, 6.6% of male smokers use shisha, compared to 44% of female smokers in Ghana.

Dr Dennis Laryea, Principal Investigator and Deputy Director of Disease Surveillance at the Ghana Health Service (GHS), who presented the survey results, expressed concern over the rise in shisha smoking among women. Dr Laryea emphasised that, although “shisha is often seen as a trendy substance, it is highly harmful as it contains chemicals that could be more dangerous to one’s health due to the longer smoking sessions.”

As the UK advances its anti-smoking measures, Ghana also faces challenges in tackling tobacco product usage, particularly shisha smoking, which is gaining popularity among the youth and women.

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