His plan seeks to raise the legal age of smoking every year by a year so that eventually no one can buy tobacco. Across the programme i will be discussing this with ben youdan, from ash new zealand, from the royal couege from ash new zealand, from the Royal College of physicians tobacco advisory group, and Hannah Miller, we will be speaking to those people as part of this. Where might the Prime Ministers idea for a ban come from . New zealand also brought in significant anti smoking measures last december. It has also implemented an annually rising smoking age, ensuring anyone born after 2008 will not be able to buy cigarettes or Tobacco Products in their lifetime. Similarto similar to what the Prime Minister here is proposing. It will be accompanied by a range of other measures to make smoking less affordable and accessible, including dramatically reducing the legal amount of nicotine in Tobacco Products. The government is also significantly restricting where cigarettes can be sold to remove them from supermarkets and corner stores. The number of stores legally allowed to sell cigarettes is being reduced from 6,000 tojust 600 nationwide. New zealand is determined to achieve a National Goal of reducing its National Smoking rate to less than 5 by 2025, with the aim of eventually eliminating it altogether. Lets bring in ben youdan, whos the director of ash new zealand thats action for smokefree 2025, a group that campaigns for Tobacco Control measures. Thank you so much forjoining us. Summarise first of all what the restrictions are in new zealand at the moment. Restrictions are in new zealand at the moment restrictions are in new zealand at the moment. ,. ,. ,. , the moment. Currently, you have to be 18 the buy the moment. Currently, you have to be 18 the buy cigarettes, the moment. Currently, you have to be 18 the buy cigarettes, we the moment. Currently, you have to be 18 the buy cigarettes, we have i be 18 the buy cigarettes, we have incredibly high tax, plain packaging, they cannot be advertised, they cannot be on display in stores. As of next year, we were see the number of stores reduced by about 90 down to 600. As of 2025 can cigarettes will not be allowed to be sold in new zealand with any level of nicotine that could be at all addictive. Beyond that, we have our own smoke Free Generation policy whereby anybody Born Afterjanuary 2009 will not be permitted to purchase cigarettes. It is a bit early to tell the level of success, given some of these measures were brought in quite recently. 0verall, what is the ambition . How realistic is the ambition . How realistic is the ambition to eliminate it altogether in that timeframe . I ambition to eliminate it altogether in that timeframe . In that timeframe . I think it is very realistic. In that timeframe . I think it is very realistic. Particularly in that timeframe . I think it is very realistic. Particularly in i in that timeframe . I think it is. Very realistic. Particularly in the last two, three years, we have seen absolutely huge decline in Smoking Rates, from i2 of adults, to 8 . Young people, for those ia and 15, smoking rate is now about i . It is already incredibly low and we have seen real success particularly around recent policies of high taxation and also people switching towards vaping which has put a dent in the Smoking Rates. These final endgame policies, the things that government is signalling, we need a Line In The Sand when tobacco has to end, notjust about Line In The Sand when tobacco has to end, not just about the last few smokers, but genuinely having a horizon for smoking in the country. Interesting you mention vaping because people watching will know it was something that cropped up yesterday in the aftermath of our Prime Ministers speech because there is of course a lot of concern around the Health Impacts of vaping. How do you juggle that . How do you balance and showing people who try to quit smoking have access to vaping but also make sure vaping is not accessible to people who are taking that up from scratch, who otherwise should not be accessing it . ,. , ,. , otherwise should not be accessing it . ,. ,. , it . That has been a huge challenge because we it . That has been a huge challenge because we know, it . That has been a huge challenge because we know, we it . That has been a huge challenge because we know, we have it . That has been a huge challenge because we know, we have seen i it . That has been a huge challenge i because we know, we have seen huge switching to vaping, particularly among populations with very high Smoking Rates, indigenous maori, particularly women, some of the biggest declines in Smoking Rates in a generation as a result of switching. Fora a generation as a result of switching. For a long time we had no regulations. It was available to purchase all over the place. 0nly purchase all over the place. Only very recently the government alongside being much more aggressive on tobacco, putting regulations around vaping. We are battling with that challenge of making sure we still support people who are struggling with nicotine addiction from smoking to use a safe alternative but making sure never smokers particularly young people are not taking up vaping which is certainly happening not in significant numbers here. We certainly happening not in significant numbers here. We want to learn from that significant numbers here. We want to learn from that and significant numbers here. We want to learn from that and see significant numbers here. We want to learn from that and see what significant numbers here. We want to learn from that and see what can significant numbers here. We want to learn from that and see what can be i learn from that and see what can be done here, given that our anti smoking measures seem to be following in your wake as well. Is there anything being proposed further down the line to tackle vaping . 0therwise what we will end p vaping . 0therwise what we will end up with is having vaping as the next big crisis following smoking, arent we . ,. ,. ,. , we . Yeah, and we are very certain vain is we . Yeah, and we are very certain vaping is nowhere we . Yeah, and we are very certain vaping is nowhere near we . Yeah, and we are very certain vaping is nowhere near harmful. We . Yeah, and we are very certain vaping is nowhere near harmful as| vaping is nowhere near harmful as smoking and certainly if you are a smoker you dramatically reduce your risk prima. We need to strengthen measures among young people not starting your risks. We are seeing signals from the government and potential next government around reducing places vaping can be sold, better enforcement of age restrictions on Vaping Products and better controls around the way products are marketed using imagery and icons appealing to young people or adjacent to Youth Culture and reinforcing they are a product to help adults stop smoking only. Titer . Help adults stop smoking only. Very briefl , i help adults stop smoking only. Very briefly. I want help adults stop smoking only. Very briefly, i want to help adults stop smoking only. Very briefly, i want to bring in the other two, there has been criticism from some here that the policy being brought in could lead to the creation of a black market, is that the same fear in new zealand . Definitely not the fear it will contribute to a black market because it is a policy that is about kids, young people. Young people do not have a big demand for cigarettes thatis have a big demand for cigarettes that is going to refuel and feed a black market. The concerns around here come from well established smokers who will be struggling when it is harder to buy cigarettes because that is where the demand is. It is not about kids. A smoke Free Generation is about keeping the young people free from cigarettes. The risk of a black market from that is nonexistent, really. Is nonexistent, really. Thank you for our is nonexistent, really. Thank you for your thoughts is nonexistent, really. Thank you for your thoughts on is nonexistent, really. Thank you for your thoughts on that, is nonexistent, really. Thank you for your thoughts on that, ben i for your thoughts on that, ben youdan, director of ash new zealand. Let us Take A Closer Look at the uks approach to phasing out smoking and how those who work in Public Health view rishi sunak� s latest proposals. Let us find out more on this from. Professor Sanjay Agrawal whos chair of the Royal College of physicians tobacco advisory group. What is your view on what the Prime Minister proposed yesterday . I think it is a Landmark Minister proposed yesterday . I think it is a Landmark Announcement minister proposed yesterday . I think it is a Landmark Announcement and l minister proposed yesterday . I think it is a Landmark Announcement and if we can it is a Landmark Announcement and if we can follow in the footsteps of new zealand in the steps they have taken new zealand in the steps they have taken it new zealand in the steps they have taken it is new zealand in the steps they have taken it is to be congratulated. Preventing young people from taking up preventing young people from taking up smoking is the single most important thing we can do and this announcement will support that. But in addition, announcement will support that. But in addition, we have 6. 5 million smokers in addition, we have 6. 5 million smokers in in addition, we have 6. 5 million smokers in the uk and helping them to quit smokers in the uk and helping them to quit smoking is also really important, so the measures to increase important, so the measures to increase the funding to local government stop Smoking Services is also really government stop Smoking Services is also really welcome. The entire package also really welcome. The entire package is an era defining set of measures package is an era defining set of measures that will allow the uk to be much measures that will allow the uk to be much more responsible for its public be much more responsible for its Public Health and to prevent harm to the youngest and most Vulnerable People the youngest and most Vulnerable People in the youngest and most Vulnerable People in society. I the youngest and most vulnerable peeple in society the youngest and most Vulnerable People in society. I really welcome this announcement. People in society. I really welcome this announcement. You people in society. I really welcome this announcement. You will people in society. I really welcome this announcement. You will have | this announcement. You will have heard what ben and i were discussing about the sort of double threat, the balance between not encouraging people to take up vaping unless it is a pathway to move them away from cigarettes. What do you make of how that balance was struck in the measures outlined by the Prime Minister yesterday . Measures outlined by the Prime Minister yesterday . Again, really rood, and Minister Yesterday . Again, really good, and acknowledgement Minister Yesterday . Again, really good, and acknowledgement we | Minister Yesterday . Again, really good, and acknowledgement we need to help people to quit smoking and vaping help people to quit smoking and Vaping Products are really helpful and effective, probably one of the most and effective, probably one of the most effective ways of helping smokers most effective ways of helping smokers to quit smoking. We know that smokers to quit smoking. We know that but smokers to quit smoking. We know that. But we also have seen a worrying that. But we also have seen a worrying trend in young people, children. Worrying trend in young people, children, starting to take up vaping who do children, starting to take up vaping who do not children, starting to take up vaping who do not smoke. We want to prevent that from who do not smoke. We want to prevent that from happening. His announcement that there will be a Review Announcement that there will be a review into announcement that there will be a review into all of the measures and levers review into all of the measures and levers we review into all of the measures and levers we can use to stop young people levers we can use to stop young people taking up vaping is really welcome. Things, for example, that affect welcome. Things, for example, that affect the welcome. Things, for example, that affect the promotion and advertising of vaping affect the promotion and advertising of Vaping Products to children should of Vaping Products to children should be affected, we should think about should be affected, we should think about the should be affected, we should think about the pricing of Vaping Products, so that children cannot afford products, so that children cannot afford to products, so that children cannot afford to buy them with pocket monev afford to buy them with pocket money. Various descriptions of flavours money. Various descriptions of flavours are really unhelpful and will attract children and these need to he will attract children and these need to be restricted. I think the measures announced yesterday got the balance measures announced yesterday got the balance between using Vaping Products to help adults quit smoking but to products to help adults quit smoking but to prevent the uptake of Vaping Products but to prevent the uptake of Vaping Products in but to prevent the uptake of Vaping Products in children. Products in children. Sanay, stay with us, i knowfi products in children. Sanay, stay with us, i know ben products in children. Sanjay, stay with us, i know Ben Youdan Products in children. Sanjay, stay with us, i know ben youdan are l products in children. Sanjay, stay i with us, i know ben youdan are still with us, i know ben youdan are still with us, i want to bring the some footage of the Prime Minister rishi sunak being quizzed about his new policy this morning. The conservative policy this morning. The conservative measures. Policy this morning. Tie conservative measures to policy this morning. Tte conservative measures to restrict choice are never easy but i think smoking is fundamentally different for a couple of reasons. Firstly, unlike lots of other products, that may not be good for you, there is no safe level of smoking, cannot be part of a balanced diet, also highly addictive, and responsible for one in four Cancer Deaths in our country, killed 6a,000 people a year, single biggest preventable cause of death, disability and illness we see. It puts monumental pressure on the nhs, one Hospital Admission every single minute, £17 billion it cost to the nhs and country will stop ultimately, if i think about it, does anybody however much they believe in choice, does anyone want their own children or grandchildren to grow up to smoke . The answer is probably not. Because ou are the answer is probably not. Because you are conservative. The answer is probably not. Because you are conservative. This the answer is probably not. Because you are conservative. This policy i you are conservative. This policy will make that you are conservative. This policy will make that reality you are conservative. This policy will make that reality and you are conservative. This policy will make that reality and it will make that reality and it largely goes with the grain of what is happening and we are moving towards this and this will help this along. Towards this and this will help this alonu. , towards this and this will help this alon i. ,. , towards this and this will help this alonu. ,. , towards this and this will help this alon. ,. , , along. That is what rishi sunak said to the bbc this along. That is what rishi sunak said to the bbc this morning along. That is what rishi sunak said to the bbc this morning and along. That is what rishi sunak said to the bbc this morning and of to the bbc this morning and of course he announced the smoking ban at the conference, big speech, pitching himself for the election. What might be in it for him politically . Let a spring in my colleague, Hannah Miller, live for us in millbank. Let us bring in. Those in the face of what you might expect that would be a preference for conservatives, a more Laissez Faire Approach. For conservatives, a more Laissez Faire Approach faire approach. Fundamentally, bannina faire approach. Fundamentally, banning things faire approach. Fundamentally, banning things in faire approach. Fundamentally, banning things in general faire approach. Fundamentally, banning things in