,The United Kingdom’s House of Lords has commenced the report stage examination of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, continuing detailed scrutiny of legislation aimed at creating the country’s first “smoke-free generation.” The bill seeks to prohibit the legal sale of tobacco products to individuals born on or after 1 January 2009, effectively ensuring that children aged 15 and under today will never be legally sold tobacco. It also establishes powers to impose product standards and information requirements on tobacco, vaping and related nicotine products. During the first day of report stage, members considered amendments addressing customer age verification methods, potential powers to prohibit certain tobacco and vape sales, transparency of tobacco sales data for public health purposes, and the creation of a youth vaping and waste impacts taskforce. A proposed amendment to raise the legal age of sale for tobacco and vape products to 21 was put to a division but was rejected. Report stage provides peers with a further opportunity to propose and vote on amendments before the bill proceeds to third reading. Additional sittings are scheduled in early March as legislative scrutiny continues.
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