🎬 Tobacco and Vapes Bill (Fifth sitting)

• The Tobacco and Vapes Bill aims to create a smoke-free generation by prohibiting the sale of tobacco products to anyone born on or after January 1, 2009.
• The bill extends these restrictions to include herbal smoking products, vaping products, and cigarette papers.
• Discussions included a new clause to mandate age verification policies for businesses selling the aforementioned products, setting penalties for non-compliance.
• Amendments were proposed to adjust penalties for first-time offences in Scotland, suggesting fines and police warnings for initial violations.
• The Minister confirmed that the bill is meant to apply UK-wide, developed in collaboration with the Scottish, Welsh, and Northern Ireland governments.
• Concerns were raised about the definition of tobacco products, specifically whether items like bongs should be included under the bill.
• The bill includes provisions to align proxy purchasing laws across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, making it an offence to buy tobacco products for individuals under the legal age.
• Discussions highlighted the need to address exemptions for cigarette papers used for non-smoking purposes, such as in arts or musical instruments.
• Vending machine bans were reaffirmed, extending to cigarette papers, and questions were raised on how to prevent new types of machines from bypassing age restrictions.
• The committee debated the sale of unpackaged cigarettes, reinforcing the offence and discussing the impact on underage smoking.
• Provisions were set to update age of sale notices in retail premises to reflect the new legal age restrictions, with considerations for clarity and consistency across the UK nations.
• Costs to businesses for updating signs and training staff were discussed, estimating expenses and urging minimal changes to avoid financial strain on small businesses.
• The session adjourned with ongoing discussions about signage, including the need for bilingual notices in Wales and potential for standardized notices across the UK.

The session displays a moderate level of disagreement. While there is broad support for the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, specific clauses and amendments generate focused debates and questions about implementation and definitions. For instance, there is disagreement on the necessity and implications of including cigarette papers in the legislation, highlighted by the discussions on their definition and alternative uses. Members raise concerns about the consistency of fines across different regions of the UK and the practicality of signage requirements. These points of contention, although not fundamentally opposed to the Bill’s overarching goal, reflect significant debates on the details and nuances of the legislation. The disagreements are mostly procedural and technical rather than ideological, leading to a rating of 3 out of 5.