The Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which has now cleared parliament, will raise the legal age for buying tobacco products by one year each year starting January 1, 2027, effectively barring those born on or after January 1, 2009 from ever purchasing them.
"The end of smoking, and the devastating harm it causes, is no longer uncertain - it's inevitable," said Hazel Cheeseman, chief executive of Action on Smoking and Health, after the bill's approval.
"This ban would be among the most restrictive in the entire country, helping to protect young people from harmful content and addictive algorithms that have a proven negative impact on their mental health," House Speaker Ron Mariano and House Ways and Means Chair Aaron Michlewitz said in a joint statement.
We are incredibly proud parents to two wonderful daughters. Juliette is a force in this world. With her beautifully positive energy, she spread fun, love and happiness to those around her and she continues to do so now.
The consultation on improving the safety and wellbeing of children online will include looking into the dangers posed by AI chatbots, the Government has said. The initiative, which is to launch next week, will seek advice from experts, parents, young people, teachers, and industry representatives on which measures should be implemented to improve online safety for children.
UK ministers are facing renewed pressure to tighten restrictions on gambling advertising, after new polling revealed strong public support for a far tougher approach to promotions and sponsorship. Gambling regulation has been the subject of increasingly heated debate in recent years, with governments introducing tighter controls on online slots, higher industry taxes and a statutory levy to fund addiction treatment. However, advertising rules have remained largely untouched, despite the scale of promotional activity rising sharply since market deregulation in 2005.
In May, the city had proposed that the tobacco ordinance also include public libraries, youth centers, and any business establishment likely to be frequented by minors, such as arcades, bowling alleys, or skating rinks, among others, to be defined as youth-oriented establishments. It also proposed a 250-foot distance requirement from those establishments.
Pinterest's new notification feature encourages students to pause app use during school hours, marking a proactive step in promoting focus and supporting classroom regulations.
