People in Sheffield are divided over the effectiveness of the smoking bill that has been passed in Parliament. 

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill forbids anyone turning 15 and younger from 2024 from buying cigarettes. It also aims to make vapes less appealing to the youth. 

Smokefree Sheffield, an organisation which hopes to create ‘a future without tobacco’, shared their thoughts online, saying : “This bill has the potential to be a game changer and will protect children and young people from ever becoming addicted to tobacco in the first place.”

They added: “It is simply unacceptable that these [vape] products are being marketed to children. The proposed new regulations on packaging, advertising and point of sale are welcomed.”

According to research commissioned by Smokefree Sheffield in 2023, there are almost 60,000 smokers in Sheffield and it causes 1000 deaths per year. Around six percent of year 10 pupils are regular smokers.

Andrew Lee, Professor of Public Health, University of Sheffield, in an article published on The Conversation website, put forward the other considerations that arise with the public health benefits.

The professor wrote that the first thing that would facilitate the effectiveness of the smoking ban is how the government carries out its implementation. Illicit sales of cigarettes to younger people is a huge problem in the UK, making up 18% of all tobacco trade, he said. 

Secondly, public support for the legislation is crucial for it to be effective. Several MPs have voiced their opposition to the bill, arguing it is an infringement of personal freedom to prevent adults from buying cigarettes.

Professor Lee proposed that a ‘comprehensive package’ of measures is needed to bring down smoking rates.

Maria Yakovleva, a biomedical student at the University of Sheffield, said: “I believe it would create a market in the illegal realm. There’s always a way to buy cigarettes. People could go abroad and start smoking there and get hooked. 

They added: “I’m above that age where I can buy cigarettes so, sucks to be 15 I guess.”

People living in the most deprived areas, like Darnall and Burngreave are three times more likely to take up smoking. Smoking costs the city £361.5m through lost productivity, according to Smokefree Sheffield.