WIREDGOV

The Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) has welcomed the Tobacco and Vapes Act receiving Royal Assent, marking a landmark moment in protecting public health across the United Kingdom. The Act represents one of the most significant pieces of public health legislation in a generation, and CTSI has played a central and sustained role in supporting its development from the outset.

CTSI has worked closely with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and a wide range of partners throughout the drafting process, contributing vital frontline enforcement expertise to help shape workable and effective regulation. As a proud member of the Smokefree Action Coalition (SFAC) – the broad alliance of  organisations that have championed this legislation – CTSI has ensured that the voice of frontline enforcement has been heard throughout. This collaboration has ensured that the experience and knowledge of Trading Standards officers – who will be responsible for delivering the Act on the ground – have been reflected in the legislation.

CTSI has welcomed the securing of £10 million in government investment for Trading Standards services across England, announced as part of the UK Government's regulatory ambitions under the Act. Secured in partnership with National Trading Standards and other key partners, the funding is supporting new apprentice enforcement officers, bolstering local Trading Standards capacity to tackle illegal tobacco and vapes, prevent underage sales, and protect consumers from harm. It is a critical step towards creating a smoke-free UK, and underscores Trading Standards' vital role at the heart of keeping harmful products out of neighbourhood shops and off our streets.

The Act introduces a comprehensive package of measures to protect public health and tackle the proliferation of harmful and non-compliant products. Key provisions include:

• A progressive generational ban on tobacco sales, preventing anyone born on or after 1 January 2009 from ever legally purchasing tobacco products in the UK
• Stricter regulation of vapes and nicotine products, including restrictions on flavours, packaging, and nicotine content designed to reduce their appeal to children and young people
• Extension of legislation to cover novel and emerging nicotine products, closing loopholes that have allowed non-compliant products to proliferate in the market
• Strengthened enforcement powers for Trading Standards officers, providing the tools needed to take effective action against retailers selling non-compliant or illicit products
• New duties on local authorities to carry out enforcement activity, supporting a consistent national approach to implementation

John Herriman, Chief Executive of CTSI, said: “The Tobacco and Vapes Act receiving Royal Assent is a truly historic moment for public health in this country, and one that Trading Standards has been proud to help bring about. CTSI has worked closely with DHSC and our partners throughout the drafting of this legislation, and we are delighted that this collaboration has already delivered real results, including the securing of £10 million in government investment for Trading Standards services across England. This funding, which will support new apprentice enforcement officers, is a significant and welcome step in building the capacity our profession needs to deliver this Act on the ground. It partly addresses CTSI's longstanding calls for additional resourcing, and we would warmly welcome similar investment for colleagues in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

“But today marks the beginning, not the end, and the challenges ahead are significant. Effective enforcement is now the critical priority: without robust, well-resourced Trading Standards activity on the ground, even the strongest legislation will fall short of its ambitions. The secondary legislation that follows will need to be decisive, and it must be carefully designed to make the Act fully operational in practice. CTSI will be at the table, working alongside our Smokefree Action Coalition partners, to ensure it is workable, proportionate, and delivers on the promise of this historic moment. Trading Standards officers across the country stand ready to enforce this landmark legislation, to keep illegal tobacco and vapes out of neighbourhood shops, to prevent underage sales, and to help deliver a genuinely smoke-free future for the next generation. But they must have the right tools, powers, and resources to do so.”

Kate Pike, CTSI Lead Officer for Tobacco and Vapes, said: “Trading Standards have been successfully enforcing tobacco regulation for many years, contributing to reductions in smoking prevalence and consequent benefits to public health we have seen to date. We look forward to playing our part in the future, and we are passionate about protecting our communities from uniquely dangerous tobacco products while ensuring that legal compliant vaping alternatives are supplied responsibly to those looking to quit smoking.”

Much of the success of this ground-breaking legislation will rest on the shoulders of Trading Standards services across the country. The key challenge now is twofold: securing effective enforcement on the ground, and ensuring that the secondary legislation that follows is designed with the rigour and practicality needed to turn this Act’s ambitions into reality. Trading Standards officers have the expertise and the commitment to deliver, but they need the right framework around them. CTSI will continue to support the profession and businesses with training and guidance on the new regulations, and will work closely with government, DHSC, the Smokefree Action Coalition, public health bodies, local authorities, and retailers to ensure the Act achieves its full potential.

CTSI stands ready to support the Government with the crucial next phase: the drafting of secondary legislation. Getting this right is as important as the Act itself – the secondary legislation must be ambitious, practical and enforceable if the Act’s historic goals are to be realised. CTSI will bring its frontline enforcement expertise to bear at every stage, working alongside the Smokefree Action Coalition and other partners to ensure the detail of the legislation matches the ambition of the headline.