What does the new tobacco and vapes law mean for smoking?

The UK is on the path to a smokefree generation. Under the new Tobacco and Vapes Act, the age of sale of tobacco in the UK will now start rising by one year each new year, making it illegal to ever sell tobacco products to anyone born on or after 1 January 2009. It’s a world-leading law, and one we’ve been calling for as part of our ongoing Smokefree UK campaign, but how will it work? And what does it mean for preventing cancer? In this episode, we find out more about the law from the Government’s Minister of Health and Prevention, Sharon Hodgson, MP. Dr Ian Walker, Cancer Research UK's executive director of policy, also joins to discuss why tackling tobacco is so important. What you’ll learn in this episode: How raising the age of sale will work in practice Why the UK is phasing out the legal sale of tobacco and what this means for future generations How the Government plans to support people in the UK who smoke today The real-world stories and support behind the law What the Tobacco and Vapes Act means for vaping More on the Tobacco and Vapes Act: Our news article on the Tobacco and Vapes Act has all the key details We answer more of the most common questions about the Act in our Frequently Asked Questions article Dr Ian Walker on why tackling smoking isn’t an affront to personal freedom – it's a defence against a deadly addiction Read some of the generations of stories behind the law Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You can listen to What does the new tobacco and vapes law mean for smoking? online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

What does the new tobacco and vapes law mean for smoking? is an episode from Cancer Research UK.

This episode is 34:09 long.

This episode was published on May 7, 2026.

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