Campaigners have vowed to “fight on” following today’s announcement that the Tobacco and Vapes Bill has been granted Royal Assent.

The new law will ban the sale of tobacco to all future generations of adults, creating what the government hopes will be “the UK’s first smoke-free generation”.

Simon Clark, director of the smokers’ rights group Forest, said:

“The new law is absurd and illiberal. It puts the burden of enforcement on retailers at a time when retail crime is at record levels and getting worse.

“It won’t stop young people smoking. Instead, as the age of sale increases each year, it will drive more and more people to the black market.

“The only people who will benefit are criminal gangs and other illicit traders.”

He added:

“We will fight on because this is a bad law that undermines individual freedom and will have serious consequences for retailers.

“We will lobby opposition parties and prospective parliamentary candidates to repeal the generational ban following the next general election.

“A similar law was repealed in New Zealand so there is no reason why the ban can’t be repealed in the UK.”