Vaping will be banned in cars carrying children as well as outside playgrounds and schools under new legislation.
The plan, which is subject to consultation, would extend smoke-free places to protect children and vulnerable people from the harms of second-hand smoke. This would also mean a ban on smoking outside hospitals and other healthcare facilities, but vaping would still be allowed to support smokers trying to quit.
Vaping and heated tobacco products would also be banned in indoor spaces, including workplaces, public transport and private vehicles carrying people under the age of 18.
Pub gardens will be exempt from the ban
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Outdoor areas, such as pub gardens, would be exempt from the ban and vaping would still be allowed in “wide open public spaces” such as beaches. Vapers and smokers could still smoke or vape inside their own homes or in private outdoor spaces.
Wes Streeting, the health secretary, said: “No child in a playground or hospital patient should suffer because someone else chooses to smoke. Second-hand smoke increases the risk of heart disease and lung cancer and we want to protect children and the sick from harm.
Wes Streeting, the health secretary
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“Prevention is better than cure, so this government is taking pressure off the NHS and building a healthier Britain where everyone lives well for longer.”
According to the Department of Health, the consultation is an “important step” towards implementing the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which is progressing through parliament.
Professor Sir Chris Whitty, the chief medical officer for England, said: “People who do not smoke but who are exposed to second-hand smoke can suffer significant harmful effects on their health, including an increased risk of asthma, poor birth outcomes, several cancers, stroke and heart disease.
“The health risks are greatest for children, pregnant women and people with medical conditions. No smoker wants to harm people, but with second-hand smoke they do — and these measures would reduce the harm second-hand smoke causes the most medically vulnerable in our society.”
The consultation will examine how outdoor boundaries will be set, as well as possible exemptions, with the intention of making the rules proportionate and workable, the health department said.
The plan has been criticised for conflating vaping with smoking
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Mark Oates, founder of the consumer campaign group We Vape, said: “It is vital we protect children from age-restricted products, but we must not confuse vaping with smoking — getting that distinction wrong costs lives.
“Vaping remains one of the most effective ways to quit cigarettes, and people who want to stop smoking must have the right to access far less harmful nicotine alternatives.”
Kate Dearden, a business minister, said: “These are targeted proposals to protect children and families from second-hand smoke and vaping without placing extra pressure on pubs, restaurants or the wider hospitality sector.
“We have been clear that we will support businesses and, after listening to their concerns, we have excluded outdoor hospitality spaces from these changes.”
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Dr Charmaine Griffiths, chief executive of the British Heart Foundation, said: “No child should have to walk through a cloud of deadly second-hand smoke on their way to the classroom or playground, nor should any patient be exposed to harm on hospital grounds.
“We strongly support the government’s consultation and the landmark legislation behind it, and we call for urgent implementation to protect everyone from harm.”
Dr Ian Walker, executive director of policy and information at Cancer Research UK, said: “We support the UK government taking action to create a smoke-free future and protect the most vulnerable in society.”