IEA Head of Lifestyle Economics Christopher Snowdon has written for The Critic criticising the new government’s continuation of the previous government’s legislative efforts to crackdown on both tobacco and safer nicotine alternatives.

Christopher said:

“Even if you believe that prohibition works (spoiler: it doesn’t) is Britain really on track to be the first country to end smoking?

“The Swedes might have something to say about that. In Sweden, the smoking rate is 5 per cent whereas in Britain it is 13 per cent. According to the preposterous impact assessment that was cobbled together by the Department of Health to justify Sunak’s prohibition, the UK’s smoking rate will start approaching zero at some point in the 2080s if the generational ban is introduced. It seems reasonable to assume that the Swedes will get there first.

“If you are truly interested in creating a ‘smokefree’ society, there are some obvious lessons from Sweden. Rather than delude ourselves about the entire population becoming abstinent from nicotine at some point in the distant future, we should encourage smokers to switch to much safer alternatives and not start panicking when a few nonsmokers start using those products too.”

Read Christopher’s full piece here.