The UK government has been recommended to raise the legal age for buying cigarettes by one year every year until no one can get them.
The recommendation has come from an independent review – which has been commissioned by Health Secretary Sajid Javid and led by former Barnardo’s CEO, Dr Javed Khan OBE – that has been published today and aims to launch England into its “smoke free” future by the goal of 2030, which would mean that fewer than 5% of the adult population smokes.
The plans would create a “smokefree generation”, with people under a certain age eventually unable to buy cigarettes and other tobacco products at all in their lifetime.
Despite the goal initially set out, the “landmark review” found that England is currently on track to miss its smokefree 2030 target “by at least 7 years”, with the poorest areas in society not meeting it until 2044.
This is why it has been recommended that the cigarette purchase age be raised each year.
Outlining the recommendations to the government in his review released this morning, Dr Javed Khan CEO wrote: “Smoking kills and ruins lives.
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“But it doesn’t have to be like that.
The UK government has been recommended to raise the legal age for buying cigarettes by one year every year / Credit: lilartsy | Blogging Guide (via Unsplash)
“By commissioning this review, the government sent out a powerful message that the status quo is not acceptable. I have taken on that challenge and responded with recommendations that are as comprehensive as they are bold – anything less would have been an abdication of my duty.
“We now need to make it as hard as possible to smoke, and as easy as possible to quit, leading to a smokefree generation.”
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He added: “To truly achieve a smokefree society in this great country of ours, smoking should be obsolete. I cannot, in all conscience, endorse a strategy that settles for anything less, so I am asking the government to go further than its current ambitions. It needs to go faster. It needs to be bolder.
“It needs to do more to protect future generations from this highly addictive and deadly product.
It’s part of a review that aims to launch England into its “smoke free” future by 2030 / Credit: Pawel Czerwinski (via Unsplash)
“Along the way, the government should do all it can to dissuade the tobacco industry from selling tobacco products.
“The ambition for tackling smoking should aim for ‘net zero’ – to make smoking obsolete.”
Some of the other recommendations outlined in the review include the promotion of vaping over smoking, increasing investment by £125 million per year to reach the government’s 2030 target – including £70 million annually in stop smoking services.
Arrest made after 14-year-old boy found in critical condition on Market Street
Daisy Jackson
An arrest has been made after a teenage boy was found unresponsive on Market Street in Manchester city centre.
Detectives believe that the boy, 14, was approached by seven males who stole a designer jacket from him.
Following the altercation, he went into cardiac arrest and was rushed to hospital in a critical condition.
Thankfully, the teenager is continuing to recover well.
Detectives from Manchester City Centre Criminal Investigation Department confirmed that an 18-year-old male was arrested yesterday, Thursday 20 February.
He has been arrested on suspicion of robbery and remains in police custody.
Detective Inspector Mark Astbury of GMP’s City Centre Criminal Investigation Department, said: “We hope the victim can continue his recovery following what must have been a terrifying ordeal for him.
“Officers are fully investigating all aspects of this shocking incident that has left a man with serious injuries in hospital.
“Our work doesn’t stop here, we are continuing to investigate this incident and information from the public plays an incredibly important role in our investigations and I ask that the community keep talking to us and keep sharing their concerns with us so our teams can act.”
If you have any information, contact GMP 101 or 0161 856 4305 quoting log 2854 of 16/2/25.
Comedy is being prescribed instead of antidepressants as part of UK trials
Emily Sergeant
Trials are currently underway to see if comedy could be an alternative to antidepressants as a way to reduce NHS costs.
UK tech company Craic Health has secured important funding for its ‘comedy on prescription’ project that’s aimed at helping the Government work with the comedy industry, communities, and organisations on comedy-based social prescriptions in the hope that they can solve financial struggles within the NHS.
The groundbreaking scheme uses stand-up shows and workshops to help people who are isolated, lonely, and vulnerable.
Craic believes comedy is an ‘untapped opportunity’ to improve health and wellbeing, and has a goal to make comedy easier to access, so that it can help communities experience its mental health and social benefits.
To achieve this, the company has started trialling Comedy-on-Prescription experiences in the UK – starting in London, with the potential for expansion – which includes things like curated comedy panel game show events and workshops, and general stand-up comedy shows at some of the capital’s world-famous venues.
Comedy is being prescribed instead of antidepressants as part of UK trials / Credit: Wikimedia Commons
“Mental health issues like loneliness, isolation, and stress are more common than ever,” the company explains.
“So much so that it’s projected that by 2030, mental health problems, particularly depression, will be the leading cause of mortality and morbidity globally, [but] in this challenging world, comedy stands out as a universal language that breaks barriers.
“Research shows that comedy and laughter have powerful effects – they bring people together, create positive connections, and make life more enjoyable.”
Craic Health says that social prescribing, of which Comedy-on-Prescription is a part of, is all about inclusivity, which makes it making it suitable for people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities.
Its focus is on personalised support, tailored to individual needs and preferences.
Emily Sergeant -
9th June 2022 
