A historic anti-smoking bill has been introduced to foster a new generation of smoke-free Britain

London (Reuters) - Britain plans to enact a historic bill to phase out the sale of tobacco products, while expanding outdoor smoking bans and giving birth to a new generation of smoke-free people.

The UK government's tobacco and e-cigarette bill, presented to Parliament on Tuesday, would ban smoking in children's playgrounds, outside schools and hospitals, as well as e-cigarette advertising and sponsorship. From this year, children under the age of 15 will not be able to buy tobacco products, and the flavors and packaging of e-cigarettes will be restricted to make them less attractive to young people.

From June next year, the British government will separately pass legislation to ban the sale of disposable e-cigarettes.

Health Secretary Mark Streeting said in a statement: "If we don't take action to help people stay healthy, growing health problems in society will overwhelm the NHS and even break down... This historic legislation will save thousands of lives."

Former Prime Minister Sunak put forward the anti-smoking plan during his term, ready to raise the legal age to buy cigarettes by one year every year, and eventually achieve a total smoking ban. But that plan was shelved after Sunak's Conservative party lost parliamentary elections in July. After the Labour government came to power, the new Prime Minister Starmer chose to renew the anti-smoking plan.

The Labor government originally wanted to extend the outdoor smoking ban to outdoor dining areas in bars and cafes, but stopped after businesses expressed fears that business would be badly affected.

A September poll by Yougov, a market research firm, showed that three-quarters of British respondents supported a ban outside hospitals, but respondents were more divided on a ban outside pubs.

Smoking costs more in lost productivity and health care than tobacco taxes

According to the government, smoking kills about 80,000 people a year and costs £21.8 billion a year in lost productivity and health care, far more than tobacco taxes.

Britain banned smoking in almost all enclosed public places, including pubs and workplaces, in 2007.

Cancer Research UK says the measure is estimated to reduce the number of smokers by 1.9 million. The British Medical Journal estimated that in the second year of implementation, there were 1,200 fewer hospital admissions due to heart attacks.