０９年以降生まれは生涯禁止　英政府、たばこ解禁年齢引き上げ法案提出へ

【マンチェスターＡＦＰ＝時事】リシ・スナク英首相は４日、紙巻きたばこの解禁年齢を段階的に引き上げ、喫煙人口の抑制を目指す法案を議会に提出する考えを表明した。（写真は資料写真）
　スナク首相は保守党の年次党大会で演説し、「今後、たばこの解禁年齢を毎年１歳ずつ引き上げていくことを提案する。現在の１４歳は合法的にたばこを生涯買えなくなる。たばこを吸うことなく成長できる」と語った。
　現在、英国ではたばこの購入は１８歳以上に制限されている。４年以内に段階的引き上げを始めれば、２００９年生まれ以降の世代は生涯、たばこを買えなくなる。
　がん研究機関キャンサー・リサーチＵＫのミシェル・ミッチェル最高経営責任者（ＣＥＯ）は、スナク首相は「たばこ業界の利益よりも英国民の健康を優先する姿勢を打ち出した」と歓迎。「全議員が法案を支持することを望む」と述べた。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2023/10/05-16:25）

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Wednesday vowed to introduce legislation to reduce tobacco use saying there was no safe level of smoking.
I propose that in future, we raise the smoking age by one year every year. That means a 14-year-old today will never legally be sold a cigarette, and that they and their generation can grow up smoke-free, Sunak told his Conservative Party's annual conference in a keynote address.
His proposal would make it an offence for anyone born on or after 1 January 2009 to be sold tobacco products ?- effectively raising the smoking age by a year each year until it applies to the whole population, a statement by Sunak's Downing Street office said.
This has the potential to phase out smoking in young people almost completely as early as 2040, it added, calling the move historic.
The statement said the government also planned to bring in measures to restrict young people vaping.
This could include restricting disposable vapes and regulating flavours and packaging to reduce their appeal to children, Downing Street added.
Health experts welcomed the announcement.
Nick Hopkinson, Professor of Respiratory Medicine at Imperial College London, called it an important step to protect children and young people from getting hooked on smoking.
Government needs to move swiftly and get this measure in place as soon as possible, he urged.
MPs would need to approve the proposals in parliament, with Sunak saying they would not be pressured on how to vote.
Cancer Research UK's chief executive Michelle Mitchell said the prime minister will deserve great credit for putting the health of UK citizens ahead of the interests of the tobacco lobby.
We urge all MPs to support the legislation so the UK government can swiftly raise the age of sale, she added.