Debate on a complete smoking ban has begun in the British Parliament.

The bill would ban the sale of tobacco products to persons born after January 1, 2009, thereby raising the smoking age by one year each year until it applies to all citizens of the country.

“This has the potential to almost eliminate smoking among young people by 2040,” the government said, calling the move historic.

On the first vote in the House of Representatives, 383 MPs voted for the bill and 67 voted against it. For the bill to become law, it will also need to be passed by the House of Lords.

The bill has many opponents. Almost 60 members of the Conservative Party also opposed it.

Members of Sunak’s Conservative Party were given the right to vote freely and could disobey the government without fear of expulsion from the party.

Several Conservative lawmakers, including former Prime Minister Liz Truss, have called the planned ban an attack on personal freedom. Critics also say the ban would likely create a black market as well as increase the burden on authorities.

In Britain, smoking is the biggest preventable cause of death, and opinion polls show that around two thirds of the country support a gradual smoking ban.

Opening the debate, UK Health Secretary Victoria Atkins declared that “there is no freedom in addiction.” “Nicotine takes away people’s freedom of choice. Most smokers start smoking at a young age, and three-quarters say if they could turn back time they would not start,” the minister said.

The planned UK ban was inspired by a similar plan in New Zealand, which was later cancelled.

Official figures show that smoking is responsible for around one in four cancer deaths and around 64,000 deaths a year in England.

The bill also aims to curb the use of e-cigarettes among youth by making the flavor and packaging less appealing to children.