Old Tories may be against the smoking ban but Gen Z'ers like me think it is a great idea - and we want vaping banned next

Some Tories may hate it, but I support it. I think it’s about time something is done to tackle the smoking problem in the UK. Is there more to be addressed? Yes, but the bill is a positive move towards tackling this serious health problem that has been plaguing the country for decades.

According to Cancer Research, tobacco kills one person every five minutes and is the root cause of a vast range of illnesses, including lung cancer, heart disease and strokes to name a few. Even though the proportion of the population that smokes is decreasing, a catalyst is still needed to speed up the process of eliminating smoking entirely. In a time when the NHS is on its knees, smoking is costing it £2.5 billion each year. So putting strict controls on smoking will undoubtedly relieve pressures on the NHS at the time when it needs it the most.

When speaking to fellow Gen Z’ers, the general consensus was in favour of the smoking ban. One 16-year-old claimed it was a ‘’wonderful step in the right direction’’ when asked to share their opinion on the government’s recent measures. Another responded that it’s necessary to improve ‘’air and lung quality among the youth’’. One took it a step further saying it should be ‘’all or nothing’’ and that the ban at the moment will not solve this deep-seated health problem; a complete ban seems like the only strong solution. This suggests that young people shouldn’t be the only target at the moment. Smoking levels are relatively low among teenagers, whereas, 25-34 year olds had the highest proportion of current smokers in the UK. Shouldn’t they be the ones targeted immediately too?

Given that vaping is more common among teenagers, with the number of children trying out vaping rising by 50% in 2023, the government needs to address this issue too. Dr Mike McKean, Vice President of Policy for the Royal College of Paediatricians and Child Health also expressed his concerns last year about widespread vaping. He said: ‘’This is a problem the UK should take seriously. Walk past a school at closing time and you’ll see what happens – large numbers of children vaping’’. It’s unnerving how new vapes are as a product and that the consequences of vaping are relatively unknown. If they really want to improve the young people’s health, the government must also consider cracking down on vaping

On a lighter note, one thing I do find funny is that if the ban goes ahead, at some point a 75 year old will be able to smoke, but their 74 year old friend won’t – I’ll leave you with that thought.