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.
ADVERTISEMENT
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.
ADVERTISEMENT
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.
ADVERTISEMENT
“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.”
Major pop star crowns humble rice and three cafe as ‘Jewel of Manchester’ ahead of sold-out gig
Thomas Melia
A beloved city centre takeaway has been given the title of ‘Jewel of Manchester’ by chart-topping UK singer Sam Smith.
Known for hits like ‘Stay With Me’, ‘I’m Not The Only One’ and more recently ‘Unholy’, UK pop-ballad act Sam Smith also likes to drop a food review every once in a while.
Currently on the road with a run of shows in Manchester and London for their ‘To Be Free’ live shows, Sam Smith is stopping off at some of our city’s much-loved spots.
On their food-reviewing account titled ‘Sam Served’, where they adopt the aptly-fitting nickname ‘Ham Smith’, Sam has visited restaurants across the globe – and most recently turned their attention to Manchester’s own This & That.
Smith decided to pop in and grab a cheeky rice and three from long-standing backstreet food business This & That, and it certainly went down a treat.
After sampling their amazing selection of meat, vegetable and vegan curries, the musician crowned this family-run Indian takeaway a ‘Jewel of Manchester’.
The hitmaker described this Northern Quarter Indian eatery as ‘Everything food should be’ and definitely enjoyed all the curries on offer ‘leaving belly and heart full’.
This & That prides itself on affordable and comforting food with its ‘Rice and Three Curries’ starting from just £6 – not bad for a city centre foodie spot.
Sam has racked up an impressive 490k followers via their ‘Sam Served’ profile, with famous faces like Lily Allen, Denise Welch and CMAT all wanting to know the superstar’s foodie thoughts.
After enjoying a curry or three, Sam Smith also made sure to feed their soul to by venturing down to Afflecks and getting lost in the music at Mars Tapes.
Recognised as one of the UK’s only cassette and tape shops, Mars Tapes lets you flick through their crates of physical media and even preview tracks before you buy with its dedicated listening areas.
It’s safe to say that Smith has ‘Latched’ onto Manchester’s independent business scene and we’re here for it.
The London-born artist has just released their latest album Hazel Eyes and is currently amid a UK residency tour with two dates in Manchester’s Albert Hall and eight shows set for London Coliseum.
24-hour bus services are now running across all Greater Manchester boroughs
Emily Sergeant
24-hour bus services are now running across all boroughs in Greater Manchester.
You may remember that back in March, it was announced that every borough of Greater Manchester was set to get a night bus service in what is hoped to be a ‘boost’ to the night-time economy… and now it’s official, Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has launched those 24-hour buses this month, along with a series of other measures.
Oldham, Stockport, Tameside, and Trafford now join the rest of Greater Manchester in having 24-hour bus services, meaning every part of the region will have a night bus operating Thursday through to Sunday.
It’s expected that these new services will help around 625,400 people working in the night-time economy across Greater Manchester, as well as those out enjoying the region’s nightlife, TfGM has said.
The routes which will run around the clock from Thursday until Sunday are:
50 (Salford – Manchester)
216 (Tameside – Manchester)
263 (Trafford – Manchester)
192 (Stockport – Manchester)
83 (Oldham – Manchester)
All Greater Manchester boroughs now have 24-hour bus services / Credit: TfGM
They launch alongside the most significant service changes to the Bee Network since the completion of bus franchising last year – including other new bus routes, and more frequent services across Greater Manchester.
“We want everyone to be able to enjoy everything Greater Manchester offers, without the worry of how to get there and get home,” commented Greater Manchester Mayor, Bev Craig.
“By growing the Bee Network, we’re making it easier than ever for people to use the bus, day and night.
“Our night buses are already providing a lifeline to some of the hundreds of thousands of people who are growing our night-time economy and working in essential public services.”
“Whether people are heading home from a night at the theatre or starting the early shift at a hospital, they can now get on board the night bus as a safe and affordable way to travel.”
Further improvements will delivered from January 2027, and a full breakdown by borough can be found on the Bee Network website here.
Emily Sergeant -
12th October 2023 
