Smoke-free UK

Jim Shannon Excerpts

Thursday 15th October 2026 Westminster Hall

[Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)]

It is always a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Ms Vaz. I thank the hon. Members for Harrow East (Bob Blackman) and for City of Durham (Mary Kelly Foy) for introducing the debate. Both their contributions set the scene incredibly well on an issue that concerns the health of people across the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

The information published by the Library ahead of the debate reminded us that the Conservative party published a Green Paper on this topic in 2019 and that the Labour party has committed to the smoke-free by 2030 ambition. The major political parties and all of us in this Chamber want the same thing: to achieve a smoke-free UK. The introduction of the Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026 has made possible what is hoped to be a smoke-free generation, by prohibiting the sale of tobacco to anyone born on or after 1 January 2009. That will undoubtedly contribute to the continuing decline in the number of adult smokers.

I only ever had a cigarette once. I tell the story because I was only about six years old. You know the way, when you are small, you look at your granda? He was not a big man, but he was my hero because he was my granda. Granda smoked the cigarettes. They were Gallaher’s, and I do not think there was any filter on them. I looked at my granda and said, “Granda, you’re always smoking cigarettes—can I have one?” My granda says, “Yes, you can. Take that there and then take a really deep breath.” And I did—with no filter. Those of a certain generation will remember whenever the po was under the bed; well, I went green and I was violently sick into the po. I always remember that introduction, from my granda—that was a cigarette. Never, ever have I wished to smoke a cigarette, all my life. The Government do not have to worry about me; it will never happen. Nor, I am glad to say, did it happen to any of my children. That is a story with, perhaps, a poignancy—a reminder of what it was like years ago.

In 2024, those aged 45 to 54 had the highest proportion of current smokers, at 12.4% UK-wide. Many of that age group are addicted beyond their control, and deterrence measures alone are likely to be a bigger challenge and potentially less successful. The hon. Member for Harrow East referred to the mother—it is not a condemnation; it is a fact—who would buy a cigarette before getting food on the table. We must recognise that smoking is a serious addiction and acknowledge that many in that age group began smoking without fully understanding the long-term health consequences. Our focus must extend beyond prevention. We must advocate for accessible addiction treatment and practical support for those who want to quit smoking but are struggling to do so.

I understand that the consultation on the tobacco and vapes regulations ended on 2 October. Will the Minister give us some indication of the timescale for the release of the responses to the consultation, and the timescale to take action on those responses? I should have welcomed the Minister to her place; it is always a pleasure to see her and we wish her well in her role.

It was estimated that in 2024 smoking contributed to 15% of all deaths in Northern Ireland, and the costs of treating smoking-related illnesses was estimated at £218 million annually. Those figures are worrying. They indicate that if we achieve a smoke-free United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, it will clearly reduce the financial impacts on the NHS. The same report reflected UK-wide concerns regarding young people vaping, estimating that in Northern Ireland alone 9% of 11 to 16-year-olds use e-cigarettes. Although e-cigarettes may help some adult smokers to move away from tobacco, it is increasingly the case that young people who have never smoked are becoming addicted to vaping. There is a real need to address that in the Government’s consultation on vaping.

I call on the Government to take further action to reduce the appeal of e-cigarettes to children by introducing controls on flavouring and advertising. Alongside stronger enforcement against the illegal sale of e-cigarettes to those under 18, that will contribute to a smoke-free United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, which will ease pressure on our already burdened health service and ensure that the next generation—the ones who come after us—will grow up free from the harms that we have seen smoking cause.