ASH Scotland celebrates overwhelming backing for UK-wide Tobacco and Vapes Bill

ASH Scotland is offering the health charity’s thanks to the 415 cross party MPs who voted in favour of the UK Government’s four nations Tobacco and Vapes Bill after its second reading in the House of Commons tonight (Tuesday 26 November 2024).

Sheila Duffy, Chief Executive of ASH Scotland, said: “With tobacco continuing to be the biggest preventable killer of people in Scotland, causing nearly 9,000 deaths each year, we thank all the cross party MPs who voted overwhelmingly in favour of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill today.

“We urge politicians to guard against attempts by Big Tobacco and its allies to delay or weaken the legislation and ensure it rapidly reaches the statute book. The passing of this Bill will be a landmark step towards eradicating the damage being inflicted by profit-centred multi-national corporations on people’s lives, especially in our poorest communities, and help Scotland to make progress towards attaining a tobacco-free generation by 2034.

“Our elected representatives in Westminster and Holyrood owe it to current and future generations to work at pace to ensure robust public health measures provided by this Bill are swiftly implemented, following consequent consultations, to reduce use of tobacco, protect children and vulnerable people from the harms of second-hand smoke and tackle youth vaping.”

There were 415 votes in favour of the Bill, with 47 votes against.