Rishi Sunak’s parliamentary bill that aims to create a smoke-free British generation will ‘increase crime rather than do good’, according to a Sheffield business owner. 

The Tobacco and Vapes bill will ban anyone turning 15 this year from ever purchasing cigarettes, an industry that was valued at 22.6 billion pounds in the UK in 2022. 

Sohlan Aslan, 21, the owner of West Street Off-License, on one of Sheffield’s busiest areas, West Street said: ‘’ It would be a massive blow as over half of our profit comes from cigarettes and vapes.

‘’People that are going to be banned from buying tobacco legally are going to turn to crime to access the products, in my experience with young people and fake IDs, it’s only going to increase. It’s not a smart move’’ She added. 

The bill would not make the act of smoking illegal just the act of selling it to those born after 2009. 

Labour, that holds the Sheffield seat, are backing the bill in Parliament as most Conservative MPs who have been given a free vote, are set to vote against it. 

According to the NHS around 76,000 people in the UK die every year from smoking and a person is admitted to hospital with illnesses related to smoking such as heart disease, every minute.

In addition to the banning of tobacco sale the bill would also implement restrictions on the sale of vapes to make them less appealing to children. 

Business and Trade secretary Kemi Badenoch may vote against the bill due to the impact tobacco products and cigarettes have on the UK economy.