The UK Parliament has passed legislation mandating a yearly increase in the minimum age to buy tobacco, aiming for a smoke-free generation by 2027.

The bill was approved with a significant majority of 383 votes, despite earlier resistance from Conservative Party members.

This UK policy mirrors an earlier attempt by New Zealand, which was ultimately abandoned due to the fiscal significance of tobacco tax revenue.

Legal challenges regarding age discrimination and the need for proportionality may pose hurdles to the law's execution.

Political parties have shown a spectrum of responses to the bill, from endorsement to dissent.

In Belgium, similar smoke-free proposals have been met with both advocacy from health organizations like Stichting tegen Kanker and political and legal opposition.