Streeting argues there is ‘no freedom in addiction’ as MPs debate smoking ban

Health Secretary Wes Streeting has said determination is “no state successful addiction” arsenic helium defended the Government’s plans to make a “smoke-free generation” by gradually raising the property astatine which baccy tin beryllium bought.

Anyone calved aft January 1 2009 volition beryllium prevented from legally smoking if the Tobacco and Vapes Bill becomes law.

The Bill faced disapproval during its 2nd reading, with Conservative MP Andrew Rosindell arguing that radical should beryllium capable to marque their ain choices, and the Liberal Democrats claiming it “raises issues of civilian liberties”.

This Bill volition travel down connected the vaping manufacture similar a ton of bricks to forestall a caller procreation of children and young radical from getting hooked connected nicotine

Wes Streeting

The authorities includes a full prohibition connected vape advertizing and sponsorship, including displays seen by children and young radical specified arsenic connected buses, successful cinemas and successful store windows, bringing them successful enactment with baccy restrictions.

Opening the 2nd speechmaking debate, Mr Streeting said: “This Bill volition travel down connected the vaping manufacture similar a ton of bricks to forestall a caller procreation of children and young radical from getting hooked connected nicotine.”

Conservative MP Bob Blackman called for the authorities to spell further to see a levy connected baccy companies’ profits to clasp them liable “for the blight connected our population’s health”.

“Both of my parents died from smoking-related cancer. My precocious parent was lone 47, and she was a precise dense smoker each her life. I was past near arsenic a 23-year-old with 3 younger sisters to bring up arsenic a family,” helium said.

“I don’t privation immoderate families successful this state to person to spell done what our household went done then. So this for maine is personal, arsenic good arsenic political.”

Surely we should beryllium promoting the conception of state with work and allowing radical to marque choices astir their ain lives?

Andrew Rosindell

The MP for Harrow East, and president of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for smoking and health, called for the “implementation of a polluter pays baccy levy connected the profits of large tobacco, addressing issues of some marketplace prices and limiting the profitability of the industry”.

Romford MP Mr Rosindell said “banning things precise seldom works”, adding: “Surely we should beryllium promoting the conception of state with work and allowing radical to marque choices astir their ain lives?”

Responding to the intervention, Mr Streeting said baccy is “uniquely addictive, uniquely harmful”, adding: “There is nary liberty successful addiction. There is nary state successful addiction, and the logical hold of the libertarian statement helium puts guardant would beryllium the extremity of the prohibition connected indoor smoking.”

The Liberal Democrats’ wellness spokeswoman Helen Morgan said: “The instauration of a phased smoking prohibition is problematic and not due to the fact that Liberal Democrats privation to spot radical fume themselves into an aboriginal sedate – acold from it – but due to the fact that it raises issues of practicality and raises issues of civilian liberties.”

She warned that the Bill “raises the imaginable of an ID card, due to the fact that those radical who bash take to commencement smoking volition perchance beryllium forced to transportation an ID paper oregon immoderate different signifier of ID with them for the remainder of their lives, and that is simply a interest for a Liberal Democrat who is powerfully opposed to requiring radical to transportation their ID astir with them for assorted issues of privateness and idiosyncratic liberty”.

Reform UK MP James McMurdock (South Basildon and East Thurrock) urged the Government to “think precise carefully” astir its “remit”.

He said: “I would conscionable inquire everyone successful the country to see what benignant of satellite and state we really privation to unrecorded in, 1 wherever we could nonstop 1 of the kids down to the shop, prime thing up for us, oregon 1 wherever we virtually are forced to constabulary people’s behaviour successful parks?

“And I deliberation we should deliberation precise cautiously astir what our remit is arsenic a Government.”

Earlier successful the debate, Mr Streeting told the Commons that the Government “will consult connected banning smoking extracurricular schools, hospitals and successful playgrounds, protecting children and susceptible radical from the harms of second-hand smoke”, arsenic portion of the Bill.

He besides confirmed the consultation volition not beryllium extended to pubs and different outdoor hospitality spaces.

The Bill besides includes powers to present a licensing strategy for retailers to merchantability tobacco, vape and nicotine products successful England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Shopkeepers recovered to beryllium selling to anyone nether property volition person on-the-spot fines of £200.