UK bans a generation of children from smoking: How it works

The United Kingdom has passed a landmark law which will make it illegal for anyone born after 2008 to ever buy tobacco products.

On Tuesday, the House of Lords – the UK parliament’s upper house – approved the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which had passed through the House of Commons.

Health advocacy groups hailed the new law as the first time an entire generation of young people will never be allowed to buy cigarettes or vapes.

The government says it tackles one of the UK’s leading causes of preventable death, disability and poor health.

Presenting the bill to the House of Lords on Monday,