Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the policy paper entitled Stopping the start: our new plan to create a smokefree generation, published on 8 November 2023, whether it is her policy to include cigar-based products in these proposals.

As the smoke from cigars is as harmful as that from cigarettes causing various smoking related diseases, including cancers, this is included under the current proposals, mirroring existing age of sale legislation.

A consultation on the Government’s new tobacco and vaping proposals is open until 6 December 2023 and is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/creating-a-smokefree-generation-and-tackling-youth-vaping

The Government will respond in full to the consultation once it has closed.