Tobacco and Vapes Bill

Lord Jopling Excerpts

2nd reading
Wednesday 23rd April 2025 Lords Chamber

[Lord Jopling (Con)]

My Lords, like everyone who has spoken so far in this debate, I give my general support to the Bill. Indeed, I am prepared to support almost anything which reduces the curse of smoking.

I had a similar thought to that of my noble friend Lord Howe in his speech—particularly when the previous Government made similar proposals—as to how it would work in practice. Attempts to impose an age limit on the right to acquire tobacco and smoking products is one thing when 17 year-olds can but 16 year-olds cannot, but that may look and be treated as arbitrary and more theoretical in years to come, when you are talking about 56 year-olds who can and 55 year-olds who cannot.

I have always found it difficult to understand why about 12% of the population still smoke—6 million people. We are told that smoking kills two-thirds of the long-term users of tobacco and that they will die of lung cancer. That is, of course, totally contrary to the wicked campaign pursued by the tobacco companies over so many years. The evidence seems quite overwhelming; indeed, it has become more and more compelling over the years. I can only describe a decision to smoke as insane, and I support all steps to educate, prohibit and tax in a way to reduce smoking.

I will give the House an example of my own experience of smoking. At the end of my first year at the University of Newcastle in 1950, I became seriously ill and spent many weeks in hospital. I was about to be discharged when the professor of thoracic medicine came to me and said that he thought I was going to be all right. He asked whether I smoked and I said yes, I did. He asked me how many and I said, “Too many”. He told me that he thought that was a serious mistake and that I should stop smoking. When I demurred and said I thought it was perfectly all right to continue smoking, he said, “One of my students has just written a thesis where he claims to have found a connection between smoking and lung cancer. I’ve only briefly skimmed over the thesis, but it seems to me to be very compelling”. He then went on to say, “You have completed the first year of a science degree so you will understand most of the thesis, and I am going to let you see it”.

The following day, this thesis by a Dr Strang—who later became a very distinguished surgeon in thoracic surgery—arrived on my bed. I read it and was horrified to read this new and, in those days, almost unheard of connection, showing the insanity of smoking. That connection did not get general publicity until five years later; there was practically nothing said publicly about this until the mid-1950s. Having read it, I decided enough was enough, and I have never had a cigarette in my hand or my mouth since that day. I have lived a joyous life for 94 years and hope for many more to come, but if I had not taken that decision that day I am sure I would not have been here today to contribute to this debate.