Bans on smoking and energy drinks plus major vaping crackdown outlined in King’s Speech
A MAJOR crackdown on smokers and vapers is set to be revived by the new Government, alongside a ban on energy drink sales.
Rishi Sunak’s plan to ban young people from ever being able to legally smoke made a comeback in today’s King’s Speech.
The Tobacco and Vapes Bill was set aside when Parliament shut down for the general election but Sir Keir Starmer decided to reintroduce it.
The Bill aims to stop anyone born on or after January 2009 from ever buying cigarettes, creating a smoke-free generation.
It also targets vape marketing, banning child-friendly flavours and flashy packaging to keep kids from getting hooked.
King Charles said: “A Bill will be introduced to progressively increase the age at which people can buy cigarettes and impose limits on the sale and marketing of vapes.”
The Bill will also beef up enforcement, letting Trading Standards crack down faster on illegal sales.
This means stopping shops from selling tobacco and vapes to kids by handing out on-the-spot fines.
Chief Medical Officer for England Chris Whitty said a “smoke free country” will prevent “disease, disability and premature deaths long into the future”.
The King also said his ministers will legislate to “restrict advertising of junk food to children along with the sale of high caffeine energy drinks to children”.
It is understood this will be done through secondary legislation.
Under the plans, drinks containing more than 150mg (0.03 teaspoons) of caffeine per litre (a pint and three-quarters) would be banned from sale, in retail outlets and online, to under-16s.
Drinks such as Coca-Cola and bottled Lucozade fall under the limit,
But a 500ml can of Monster Energy contains 160mg – equivalent to more than three shots of espresso or five cans of Coca-Cola.
Asked why Labour would not include other high-caffeine drinks such as some coffees during the campaign, Sir Keir said: “Because this is aimed at children and the sort of drinks that at the moment, the energy drinks, that they are drinking.
“I mean Monster, I think, is the number one.
“Just to give you a sense of that – the caffeine in that is the equivalent of several espressos, which is why it’s having such an effect on children’s behaviour.
“Talk to anyone who’s in a school and they’ll tell you what the problem is.”