The UK government plans to expand the scope of its e-cigarette ban to include playgrounds, off-campus areas, and areas outside hospitals.

Key Takeaways

• Plans propose banning vaping in cars carrying children and restricting smoking/vaping/heated tobacco in playgrounds and outside schools in England
• Indoor smoke-free spaces would also become vape- and heated-tobacco-free; areas outside hospitals included
• A 12-week public consultation seeks views on settings, exemptions and how to inform the public; ends May 8, 2026
• Health Secretary Wes Streeting cited health risks from second-hand smoke; Chief Medical Officer Prof Sir Chris Whitty listed multiple harms
• Outdoor hospitality venues, beaches and private outdoor spaces are not included; enforcement would mirror existing smoke-free laws with a minimum six-month lead-in

2Firsts, Feb 13, 2026

According to the BBC, government plans could ban vaping in cars carrying children and restrict smoking, vaping and the use of heated tobacco in settings such as playgrounds and outside schools across England.

The report said the proposals are subject to a 12-week public consultation and aim to prevent smoking, vaping and heated tobacco use in these settings. It added that indoor spaces—where smoking is already banned—would also become vape- and heated-tobacco-free under the proposals, and areas outside hospitals would be included.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting (Wes Streeting) said children and patients should not have to suffer because others choose to smoke. He said second-hand smoke increases the risk of heart disease and lung cancer, and said the government wants to protect children and the sick from harm, adding that a focus on prevention would take pressure off the NHS and build a healthier Britain.

England’s Chief Medical Officer Prof Sir Chris Whitty (Prof Sir Chris Whitty) listed asthma, poor birth outcomes, several cancers, heart disease and stroke as some of the “significant harmful effects” of second-hand smoking, and said the measures would reduce harm to the most medically vulnerable in society.

The report said the proposals form part of the government’s 10-year health plan to shift the focus from sickness to prevention and reduce pressure on the NHS. A public consultation launched on Friday is seeking views on which settings should have a ban implemented, exemptions, and how to inform people of the restrictions.

The government said findings from the consultation will “help shape future regulations under the Tobacco and Vapes Bill,” which it said will “create a smoke-free generation and protect young people from a lifetime of addiction,” adding that the bill is progressing through parliament.

Outdoor hospitality venues such as pub gardens, wider open spaces such as beaches and private outdoor spaces are not included in the plans, the report said, and people will be able to continue smoking and vaping in their homes. If the ban goes ahead, enforcement would “mirror existing smoke-free laws,” with a minimum of six months between regulations being made and coming into force.

British Heart Foundation chief executive Dr Charmaine Griffiths (Dr Charmaine Griffiths) said the charity strongly supports the consultation and is calling for urgent implementation of the legislation. The consultation will run for 12 weeks and will end on May 8, 2026, the report said.

Image Source: BBC