L

Lord Mawson (CB)

Speaking in the House of Lords on 3 March 2026

Debate

Tobacco and Vapes Bill

Contribution

My Lords, I support the amendment from the noble Lord, Lord Young. Supporting a smoke-free society is the right direction of travel, in my view, but I also worry about contact with reality. A road map should also include the potential unintended consequences of cannabis smoking in a smoke-free country, with real targets and interventions. Walk across London and other towns and cities and smell the cannabis smoking on every street corner. People are breaking the law, with the police doing virtually nothing about it. Cannabis has profound long-term health implications in the young. Some of us have worked in this space and have to deal with them. What are the unintended consequences of the Bill for the uptake of cannabis smoking among the next generation? I ask the Minister: what work have the Government done on the unintended consequences of this policy, and what do they plan to do about the potential uptake and increase in cannabis smoking, and the increase in illicit dealing on our streets?

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