Well, it's official now. The UK's "Generational Ban" on all tobacco and nicotine products has now become law. Effective January 1, 2027, this law permanently bans anyone born after January 1, 2009 from buying any tobacco and nicotine products. And yes, unlike New Zealand's now-repealed effort that would have exempted vape products, the UK's ban includes ALL nicotine products, including vapes and presumably pouches as well.
Read that again.
It's safe to say that Twenty-One Debunked opposes this generational ban 100%, full stop. Not because we like tobacco or nicotine products (we do not encourage the use of these things at all by anyone, period), but because it is inherently ageist, illiberal, impractical, and a massive government overreach. Not to mention it is bloody daft, as the locals would say there. And it also clearly sets a very questionable precedent as well: what is the next thing to be banned in like fashion?
The UK should have just kept the age limit at 18. Their tobacco taxes are already very high, and the black market is rife, so there is not much wiggle room there as a strategy now. But they could still have done other things to further reduce smoking rates, like 1) cap the amount of nicotine in combustible tobacco, or at least ready-made cigarettes, to a non-addictive level, 2) ban all non-tobacco additives in tobacco products, 3) restrict the sale of tobacco products to only dedicated tobacco stores or other adults-only stores, and stuff like that. Otherwise, they should butt out.
Meanwhile, the black market is clearly salivating like a Pavlov's Dog as we speak, per the Law of Unintended Consequences....
Australia is already a cautionary tale, with their ridiculously high taxes on combustible tobacco paired with their ban on nicotine-containing vapes. Imagine this, but at a MUCH larger scale.
And now, over to you, America. Those watching this from this side of the pond should take this as a warning, NOT an example!
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