A draft law in the UK to create a "smoke-free generation" by banning smoking for anybody born after 2008 has cleared both houses of parliament. Only the king's signature remains for it to become law.

A draft law in the UK to create a “smoke-free generation” by banning smoking for anybody born after 2008 has cleared both houses of parliament. Only the king’s signature remains for it to become law.

Archived version: https://archive.is/newest/https://www.dw.com/en/uk-moves-to-ban-smoking-for-everyone-born-after-2008/a-76884561

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  • notabot@piefed.socialEnglish
    5·
    4 days ago

    Added lifetime will put more strain on the NHS, but it’s likely to be lower than the cost of treatments for smoking related illnesses and injuries.

    They’ve set the ban for anyone born after 2008 so that it only affects people who shouldn’t have been able to aquire tabacco products anyway, which sidesteps the problem of people continuing to do it even though it’s illegal, as they hopefully wont have started in the first place. As the years pass kids wont have the older kids or adults around them smoking, so the desire should drop even more. Undoubtedly there will be some fools who start just because they’re told not to, but I would hope they are in the tiny minority.

    • Akasazh@lemmy.worldEnglish
      1·
      4 days ago

      Ik help you hope it, but I don’t think the savings will out do the tax revenue of the excise tax

      • notabot@piefed.socialEnglish
        3·
        4 days ago

        Your comment encouraged me to go and find the actual figures for tabacco revenue and the costs of ill health due to its use.

        The UK goverment’s figures show tabacco revenue falling year on year, with tax on cigarettes and hand rolling tabacco now totalling about £6B per year.

        In terms of costs, ASH seem to have produced the clearest breakdown here. They give a combined cost to the NHS and social care of £3.1B, so your assertion is correct there. However they also note a lost of productivity (basically people not working because they’re sick, or dieing before retirement age) of some £18.3B. Assuming that productivity would be taxed, that would more than make up the difference.

        The reduction in revenue and costs will also happen quite slowly, presumbly over the course of a full generation, so there should be plenty if time to adjust.

        Anyway, thanks for sending me to find the actual figures, it was a worthwhile exercise.

        • Akasazh@lemmy.worldEnglish
          1·
          4 days ago

          Great sleuthing!

          I think taking into account aan earlier death, that’s quicker than, say Alzheimers needs to be taken into account. A Dutch magazine once did that math and argued that smoking is cheaper for the state overall.

          Not that that pleads for smoking in any way, shape or form. The main benefit is an improved quality of life. (And better financial stability for those concerned).