The British Parliament has approved the controversial Tobacco Law, which aims to create the first "smoke-free generation" in England. According to this regulation, the sale of cigarettes in the country will be forbidden to all those born since the year 2009.
Estela Nieto
The initiative, driven by Prime Minister Sunal, received majority support with 383 votes in favor and 67 against, despite opposition from some conservative MPs such as former Prime Minister Liz Truss and Secretary of International Trade Kemi Badenoch.
The debate in Westminster sparked a great deal of controversy, with prominent figures like former Prime Minister Boris Johnson expressing disagreement. However, Sunal managed to offset rebellion within his own party with support from the Labour opposition and the Liberal Democrat Party.
Despite the controversy, polls show that 52% of British support the total or gradual tobacco ban proposed by the Sunak government. Currently, approximately 6.4 million Britons are smokers, and health authorities warn that smoking remains a significant cause of premature deaths, with around 80,000 per year.
In Spain, Health Minister Mónica García does not rule out taking note of the United Kingdom and banning the sale of tobacco to those born after 2009.
The Minister said that the Comprehensive Plan for Smoking Prevention and Control incorporates:
"measures aimed at achieving a tobacco-free generation and establishing smoke-free environments."
Minister García underscored that the plan's objective is to implement "measures designed to realize a generation free from tobacco and to establish smoke-free spaces," while also considering the possibility of incorporating additional strategies such as those observed in the United Kingdom - where the sale of tobacco to individuals born after 2009 will be prohibited - or in Turin, which has instituted a ban on outdoor smoking within a five-meter radius of others.
"We will make gradual progress; I believe we have made significant strides with the consensus of all communities and scientific societies, and now we will delve into specifics,"
García higlighted that the initial step in Spain involves enacting the recently approved plan through legislative measures. After, to be presented to the Council of Ministers within a couple of weeks, she remarked, "All measures are on the table; I always maintain that no task is imposible," when questioned about measures akin to those endorsed by the UK House of Commons or Turin's recent implementation.
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