ASH Scotland thanks cross party MPs for giving overwhelming backing to the UK-wide Tobacco and Vapes Bill

ASH Scotland is offering the health charity’s thanks to the 366 cross party MPs who tonight (Wednesday 26 March 2025) voted to give a Third Reading to the UK Government’s Tobacco and Vapes Bill.

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 are delighted to see elected representatives working at pace to move the four-nations Tobacco and Vapes Bill forward through the parliamentary process at Westminster.

“Everyone should have the right to breathe clean air, and the subsequent passing of this Bill would 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.

“We look forward to Scotland having opportunities through consequent consultations enabled by this Bill to debate how we can best protect people – especially children – from breathing harmful toxins by extending smoke-free and aerosol-free environments to create health-promoting, clean air environments for the generation growing up in Scotland.”