A ban on cigarettes and vapes being sold to children born after 1 January 2009 has been welcomed by Havering Council.
The Tobacco and Vapes Bill received Royal Assent last week and comes into immediate effect.
The act aims to tackle the sale of cigarettes and vapes to children by retailers.
The move comes as the government and health bodies aim to reduce the huge public health impact that smoking has by reducing smoking over time.
Mark Ansell, Havering’s Director of Public Health, said:
“This is a landmark moment on a journey to protect young people from harm caused by lifelong addiction to tobacco.
“Smoking is one of the biggest drivers towards poor health, and with the vast majority of smokers taking up the habit before the age of 20, it’s crucial that we tackle it now to prevent sickness, disability and death.
“We will be working with colleagues across the council and businesses in the borough to ensure it is implemented effectively.”
Around 127,500 young adults aged 18-to-25 take up smoking each year in the UK and more than 80% of smokers start before they turn 20, many of them as children.
Stronger regulations on vaping will be introduced to reduce its appeal and its ease of access to young people, while still allowing adults access to help them quit.
The government will also be introducing strong enforcement powers in a bid to stop young people becoming addicted to smoking and to live longer, healthier lives.