Proposals would see outdoor smoking and vaping banned in certain public spaces to protect children and vulnerable patients from second-hand smoke
Proposals would see outdoor smoking and vaping banned in certain public spaces to protect children and vulnerable patients from second-hand smoke
Martin Bagot-COV, Oliver Radcliffe Live News Reporter and Martin Bagot
12:48, 13 Feb 2026
Vaping and smoking could be prohibited in specific outdoor locations including hospital grounds, near schools and children’s play areas.
The Department of Health and Social Care is set to launch a public consultation regarding proposals to extend smoking restrictions to these spaces. The plans would also see indoor venues, where smoking is currently illegal, become vape-free and heated tobacco-free.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting said: “No child in a playground or hospital patient should suffer because someone else chooses to smoke. Second-hand smoke increases the risk of heart disease and lung cancer and we want to protect children and the sick from harm.
“Prevention is better than cure, so this government is taking pressure off the NHS and building a healthier Britain where everyone lives well for longer.”
The consultation will examine the dangers of second-hand smoke exposure outdoors, with children and medically vulnerable individuals facing the highest risk. By targeting locations where young people often are and patients receive treatment, the government states it seeks to prevent illness and disease, reports the Mirror.
Professor Chris Whitty, Chief Medical Officer for England said: “People who do not smoke but who are exposed to second-hand smoke can suffer significant harmful effects on their health, including an increased risk of asthma, poor birth outcomes, several cancers, stroke and heart disease. The health risks are greatest for children, pregnant women and people with medical conditions.
“No smoker wants to harm people, but with second-hand smoke they do – and these measures would reduce the harm second-hand smoke causes the most medically vulnerable in our society.”
The consultation will additionally gather opinions on establishing outdoor boundaries, exemptions, designated smoking zones and methods of communicating restrictions to guarantee the regulations are balanced and practical. A minimum six-month period will separate any regulations being introduced and their implementation.
Ministers have dismissed proposals to prohibit smoking outside hospitality establishments – including pub beer gardens – following worries it might impact business.
Business Minister Kate Dearden commented: “These are targeted proposals to protect children and families from second-hand smoke and vaping, without placing extra pressure on pubs, restaurants or the wider hospitality sector.
“We have been clear that we will support businesses, and after listening to their concerns, we have excluded outdoor hospitality spaces from these changes.”
Dr Charmaine Griffiths, chief executive of the British Heart Foundation, stated: “No child should have to walk through a cloud of deadly secondhand smoke on their way to the classroom or playground, nor should any patient be exposed to harm on hospital grounds.
“We strongly support the Government’s consultation and the landmark legislation behind it, and we call for urgent implementation to protect everyone from harm.”
Dr Ian Walker, Cancer Research UK’s executive director of policy and information, stated: “We support the UK Government taking action to create a smoke-free future and protect the most vulnerable in society.”
