Key dates in the history of tobacco
2007 - July
England goes smokefree on 1 July. Early results show that within the first two weeks of the smokefree law, compliance rates reach 97%.
NICE releases guidance on the use of varenicline (Champix) as a stop-smoking aid.
US film producer Walt Disney announces that it will no longer permit smoking scenes in family-oriented films and that it will discourage smoking in films distributed by affiliated companies.
2007 - May
A YouGov poll shows that 25% of adults in England say they will visit pubs more often once the smoking ban comes into effect.
2007 - April
The smokefree legislation is implemented in Wales (2nd April) and in Northern Ireland (30th April).
The Motion Picture Association of America advises the US film industry to “eliminate the depiction of tobacco smoking from films accessible to children and youths”.
2007 - March
The Chancellor announces that the VAT on stop smoking aids will be reduced to the lowest level (5% instead of 17.5%) from 1 July to coincide with the implementation of the indoor smoking ban.
2007 - February
After just six weeks of being smokefree, the European Parliament abandons its smokefree policy and reintroduces smoking rooms.
2007 - January
The Government announces that the legal age for the purchase of tobacco will be raised to 18 from 1 October 2007.
2006 - December
ASH issues guidance on varenicline - a new stop smoking drug launched in the UK under the brand name Champix. This is intended as an interim measure to help health professionals until the official guidance by NICE is produced.
2006 - November
ASH joins health and fire-safety groups in the start of a new campaign for Reduced Ignition Propensity (“fire-safer”) cigarettes. The RIP Coalition is working towards the adoption by the European Commission of standards that would require all cigarettes sold in Europe to be self-extinguishing, in order to reduce deaths and injuries from fires.
2006 - August
New York’s Mayor, Michael Bloomberg, announces that he is to give US$125 million to worldwide tobacco control programmes.
2006 - July
Health Bill receives Royal Assent and becomes Health Act 2006.
The Government issues proposals to raise the minimum age for the purchase of tobacco from 16 to 18.
2006 - June
The Advocate General of the European Court of Justice issues an Opinion arguing that the German government challenge to the EU Directive banning tobacco advertising is without foundation.
2006 - May
The Government launches a consultation on proposals to include picture warnings on tobacco products.
2006 - March
Scotland becomes the first country of the United Kingdom to implement smokefree legislation. Smoking is now banned in virtually all workplaces and enclosed public places including pubs and clubs.
2006 - February
Report Stage and Third Reading of the Health Bill in the House of Commons. An amendment to make all workplaces and enclosed public places smokefree is passed by 384 votes in favour and 184 votes against. The exemption of pubs that do not serve food and private members’ clubs from smokefree legislation is removed.
The first Conference of the Parties (nations) of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) is held in Geneva. More than 140 countries are now signatories to the treaty and are committed to its full implementation.
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2005 - December
A YouGov Poll commissioned by Cancer Research UK and Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) finds that 67% of respondents across the UK believed that all pubs and bars should be smokefree by law.
2005 - November
By 8 November, the deadline for ratification of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, 110 countries had become party to the treaty.
The Government publishes the Health Bill which sets out proposals for making workplaces smokefree. Despite widespread support for a comprehensive smoking ban, the Bill proposes that exemptions be made for private members’ clubs and for pubs that do not serve food. The measures will apply to England only as Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland have opted for comprehensive smoke-free workplaces.
2005 - October
The Northern Ireland Minister announces that smoking will be banned in every workplace in the province by April 2007.
