Plans to crack-down on youth vaping and create a “smokefree generation” have been unveiled by the government today.
After Prime Minister Rishi Sunak expressed his concern at the “worrying rise” in youth vaping, and spoke of his intent to introduce a new law to stop children who turn 14 this year or younger from ever being able to legally cigarettes during his speech at the Conservative Party Conference here in Manchester last week, a public consultation on so-called “historic proposals” to create the first ‘smokefree generation’ has now been launched.
The consultation is open to anyone of any age in the UK, and includes proposals on everything from to restricting child-friendly flavours and bright-coloured packaging of disposable vapes, to the affordability and availability of nicotine products.
The opinions of teenagers, parents, teachers, medical professionals, and academic experts are wanted.
🚭 None of us want our children to grow up to be smokers.
The changes we're proposing can make that a reality, as well as ensuring vapes are no longer targeted at children.
Share your views in our consultation 🔽
— Department of Health and Social Care (@DHSCgovuk) October 12, 2023
People now have eight weeks to share their experiences and opinions, and help shape future policy on vaping and smoking.
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The eight new measures proposed by the government forming part of the consultation are:
Making it an offence for anyone born on or after 1 January 2009 to be sold tobacco products
Restricting the flavours and descriptions of vapes so that vape flavours are no longer targeted at children
Regulating point of sale displays in retail outlets so that vapes are kept out of sight from children and away from products that appeal to them
Regulating vape packaging and product presentation to ensure that neither the device nor its packaging is targeted to children
Considering restricting the sale of disposable vapes
Exploring further restrictions for non-nicotine vapes and other nicotine consumer products, such as nicotine pouches
Exploring whether increasing the price of vapes will reduce the number of young people using them
Introducing new powers for local authorities to issue Fixed Penalty Notices to enforce age of sale legislation of tobacco products and vapes
Eight new measures have been proposed by the government in a bid to create a ‘smokefree generation’ / Credit: lilartsy | Blogging Guide (via Unsplash)
Several other measures also feature in the consultation, according to the government.
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The launch of the public consultation comes after recent reports and statistics have revealed that smoking is the UK’s biggest preventable killer, as it causes around one in four cancer deaths – and 64,000 in England alone – each year, and apparently costs the economy and wider society £17 billion.
Not only that, but recent figures published by Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) have also shown that the number of children using vapes in the past three years has tripled.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has particularly expressed concern at the “worrying rise” in youth vaping / Credit: Flickr
20.5% of children aged between 11 and 17 having tried vaping in 2023, according to ASH.
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“Last week I promised to create the first smokefree generation,” Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said as he unveiled the proposals and opened the consultation today, “and I am wasting no time to deliver on that promise.
“Our ambitious plans will reverse the worrying rise in youth vaping, while protecting our children from the dangerous long-term effects of smoking as quickly as possible.”
The Strokes announce first Manchester gig in two decades
Daisy Jackson
The Strokes are finally set to return to Manchester for the first time in years, announcing a huge arena show today.
The iconic indie rockers have shared details of a new European tour, which includes a night at the massive Co-op Live arena here in Manchester.
The news comes hot off the heels of their celebrated Coachella set over the weekend.
The Reality Awaits Tour, named after their upcoming seventh studio album, will take The Strokes to Manchester as well as London and Newcastle, plus several cities across Europe.
The Strokes broke into the industry back in 2001 with their seminal debut album Is This It, which spawned massive indie anthems like Last Nite, Hard To Explain, and Sometimes.
Since then, they’ve released six studio albums, all of which have climbed into the top 10 of the UK Albums Chart.
You can expect to hear all sorts of fan favourites, like Reptilia, Juicebox, and You Only Live Once, plus new music including their latest single The New Abnormal.
Co-op Live said: “This is set to be an unmissable show as they come to Co-op Live for the first time and we can’t wait!”
Last time The Strokes played in Manchester, it was at the O2 Apollo way back in 2006 – the same year they supported Foo Fighters at Emirates Old Trafford Cricket Ground.
They played Lytham Festival more recently, but haven’t ventured back into Manchester itself since.
The Strokes will play at Co-op Live in Manchester on 26 October 2026.
Tickets will go on sale at 10am on Friday 17 April HERE, with a number of pre-sales beginning from Wednesday 15 April.
Manchester Museum to close much-loved section for ‘major’ £200k redevelopment
Emily Sergeant
Manchester Museum has announced that it’s planning to close of its best-loved exhibitions.
Thanks to a grant of £200,000 from the Department of Culture, Media and Sport’s (DCMS) Museums and Galleries Improvement Fund, Manchester Museum is planning a major redevelopment of its much-loved Vivarium.
The Vivarium has sat at the heart of Manchester Museum for more than 60 years, and is a centre for globally-significant conservation projects, caring for around 30 different amphibian and reptile species – many of which are critically endangered – in a bid to inspire generations of visitors.
Thanks to a pioneering partnership with Panama Wildlife Conservation Charity, which is just one of many projects designed to safeguard the future of endangered species and develop learning programmes that raise awareness of threats to biodiversity, Manchester Museum houses the world’s only captive ‘back-up’ population – which is why the redevelopment of the Vivarium is so important.
The funding grant will help to ‘revitalise’ public displays, and create new state-of-the art facilities and bespoke naturalistic environments for the amphibian and reptile species cared for by the Vivarium.
It will also allow the development of dedicated facilities for schools, teaching, and visiting tour groups, which the Museum hopes will ‘further enhance’ the gallery’s potential for learning.
During the redevelopment – which has been named the ‘Habitats of Hope’ project – new permanent displays will also be created that explore the connections between its wider collections and the animals it cares for.
Manchester Museum is set to close one of its much-loved sections for ‘major’ £200k redevelopment / Credit: Supplied
“Habitats of Hope speaks to how wonderful and how vulnerable the world’s rarest amphibians are” commented Georgina Young, who is the Head of Collections and Exhibitions at Manchester Museum.
“Major investment means Manchester Museum can match the highest standards of animal care with a more accessible visitor experience, while weaving stories of research, conservation, partnership and action that stretch from thriving ponds in Manchester to hyper-biodiverse ecosystems in Costa Rica and Panama.”
Emily Sergeant -
12th October 2023 
