Professor Sanjay Agrawal, the RCP's special adviser on tobacco, comments on the second reading of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill in parliament.
Commenting on the second reading of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill in parliament, Professor Sanjay Agrawal, the RCP's special adviser on tobacco, said:
'Today marks an opportunity for MPs to support one of the most monumental health interventions in decades. The Tobacco and Vapes Bill will help secure a Smokefree generation by raising the age of sale of tobacco by one year, every year, so that children born on or after 1 January 2009 can never legally buy it.
'Smoking is the single largest preventable cause of death in the UK, claiming the lives of 76,000 people every year. It’s not a choice; it’s an addiction. Government modelling estimates that raising the age of sale will avoid up to 115,000 cases of stroke, heart disease, lung cancer and other lung diseases by 2075, saving tens of thousands of lives and saving the health and care system billions of pounds.'
'The RCP supports the ambitions of the Bill to protect future generations from the often life-altering consequences of smoking, reducing the long-term health risks for millions and future demands on our health service.'