Plans for smoking law to stop UK youth buying cigarettes

An EFL and ESL English Lesson

Lesson Collection
A photo of some cigarettes.

Date: 20th October 2023

Level: B2 Upper-intermediate

Grammar: Attributive adjectives

Topics: Health & Wellbeing, Politics & Law, Society & Lifestyle

Printable lesson: Lesson, Single-page lesson

Individual worksheets: Grammar, Vocabulary, Reading, Listening, Writing, Spelling

Audio files: One, Two, Three

Text

Plans for smoking law to stop UK youth buying cigarettes

England’s young smokers could be denied access to cigarettes under a new policy by UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. The proposal would raise the legal age for buying cigarettes by one year every year, starting from 2026. People must be 18 or over to legally buy cigarettes in the UK. But if the tough measure goes ahead, then anyone currently in their mid-teens may never be able to buy cigarettes.

The restriction would be implemented in England only, not the rest of the UK. The last time the minimum age limit for buying cigarettes was changed in the UK was in 2007, when it was increased from 16 to 18. Sunak’s government said that the 2007 change that targeted the youth saw a 30% major reduction in 16- and 17-year-olds smoking.

In total, smoking rates have declined by 66% since the 1970s, but there are around 6.4 million UK citizens who still buy cigarettes. Meanwhile, vaping has tripled in popularity since 2000, officials say. Now, instead of adolescent children smoking, they are developing a vaping addiction. It is also illegal in the UK to sell vapes to under-18s.

Mr Sunak said he wants to end the UK’s “biggest cause of preventable death and disease”. He said four in five smokers start before they are 20, and that later “the vast majority try to quit”. In a speech he gave about stopping teenagers from taking up smoking, he gave a slogan-like remark to “stop the start” of the deadly habit.

Information sources (external links): apnews.com, independent.co.uk

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Warm-up activities

Write a sentence including one of these words: single, double, or triple.

Compare smoking versus vaping — how are they similar and different?

Take a vote and discuss who would be in favour of or against a smoking ban.

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Reading comprehension questions

What is Rishi Sunak’s proposal?
Who will the smoking ban affect first?
What part of the UK will the law affect?
What happened in 2007?
After 2007, the government saw a big cut in what?
Have smoking numbers gone up or down since 1970?
How much has vaping gone up since 2000?
Can children buys vapes in the UK?
Did Mr Sunak say 80% of smokers try to quit?
How is Mr Sunak’s “stop the start” comment described?
  1. New young smokers.
  2. Three times as much.
  3. They’ve declined.
  4. Annually raising the age a person can legally buy cigarettes.
  5. The legal age limit for buying cigarettes was increased by two years.
  6. People currently in the middle of their teenage years.
  7. No; most try to stop he said.
  8. Not legally.
  9. As a catchy slogan.
  10. Only England.

top  |  print reading worksheet with text

Listening comprehension reordering

Put the summary sentences A-J in the order you hear them 1-10 in the story.

  1. Smoking numbers have gone down since the 1970s.
  2. The UK Prime Minister wants to raise the legal smoking age.
  3. Children cannot buy vapes in the UK.
  4. Those in their mid-teens now will never be able to buy cigarettes.
  5. In 2007 the legal age limit was increased by two tears.
  6. Vaping has gone up three times as much since 2000.
  7. Most smokers try to stop, Mr Sunak said.
  8. In a catchy comment, Mr Sunak said he wants to “stop the start”.
  9. The proposal only affects England.
  10. After 2007 there was a big cut in new young smokers.

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Phrases, synonyms, and antonyms match-up

Match the words to their endings to make phrases from the text.

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

Match the words from the text to their synonyms.

11.
12.
13.
14.
15.

Match the words from the text to their antonyms.

16.
17.
18.

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Pronunciation listening

How many words in the clip start with the following letters.

1.
The letter i
2.
The letter m
3.
The letter t

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Grammar gap-fill cloze: attributive adjectives

England’s
1.
smokers could be denied access to cigarettes under a
2.
policy by UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. The proposal would raise the legal age for buying cigarettes by one year every year, starting from 2026. People must be 18 or over to legally buy cigarettes in the UK. But if the
3.
measure goes ahead, then anyone currently in their mid-teens may never be able to buy cigarettes.
The restriction would be implemented in England only, not the rest of the UK. The last time the
4.
age limit for buying cigarettes was changed in the UK was in 2007, when it was increased from 16 to 18. Sunak’s government said that the 2007 change that targeted the youth saw a 30%
5.
reduction in 16- and 17-year-olds smoking.
In total,
6.
rates have declined by 66% since the 1970s, but there are around 6.4 million UK citizens who still buy cigarettes. Meanwhile, vaping has tripled in popularity since 2000, officials say. Now, instead of
7.
children smoking, they are developing a vaping addiction. It is also illegal in the UK to sell vapes to under-18s.
Mr Sunak said he wants to end the UK’s “biggest cause of
8.
death and disease”. He said four in five smokers start before they are 20, and that later “the
9.
majority try to quit”. In a speech he gave about stopping teenagers from taking up smoking, he gave a slogan-like remark to “stop the start” of the
10.
habit.

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Vocabulary multiple-choice cloze

England’s young smokers could be
1.
access to cigarettes under a new policy by UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. The
2.
would raise the legal age for buying cigarettes by one year every year, starting from 2026. People must be 18 or over to legally buy cigarettes in the UK. But if the tough
3.
goes ahead, then anyone currently in their mid-teens may never be able to buy cigarettes.
The
4.
would be implemented in England only, not the rest of the UK. The last time the
5.
age limit for buying cigarettes was changed in the UK was in 2007, when it was increased from 16 to 18. Sunak’s government said that the 2007 change that targeted the
6.
saw a 30% major reduction in 16- and 17-year-olds smoking.
In total, smoking rates have declined by 66% since the 1970s, but there are around 6.4 million UK
7.
who still buy cigarettes. Meanwhile, vaping has tripled in popularity since 2000, officials say. Now, instead of adolescent children smoking, they are developing a vaping
8.
.
It is also illegal in the UK to sell vapes to under-18s.
Mr Sunak said he wants to end the UK’s “biggest cause of preventable death and disease”. He said four in five smokers start before they are 20, and that later “the vast
9.
try to quit”. In a speech he gave about stopping teenagers from taking up smoking, he gave a slogan-like remark to “stop the start” of the
10.
habit.

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Dictation

Type the words you hear. Each word is read twice and there is an autocheck feature for this exercise.

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

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Writing cloze

Spell the words 1-15 correctly. The first letters of 1-15 are the correct starting letters.

England’s young smokers could be
1.
access to cigarettes under a new
2.
by UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. The
3.
would raise the legal age for buying cigarettes by one year every year, starting from 2026. People must be 18 or over to legally buy cigarettes in the UK. But if the tough
4.
goes ahead, then anyone currently in their mid-teens may never be able to buy cigarettes.
The
5.
would be implemented in England only, not the rest of the UK. The last time the
6.
age limit for buying cigarettes was changed in the UK was in 2007, when it was increased from 16 to 18. Sunak’s government said that the 2007 change that targeted the
7.
saw a 30% major reduction in 16- and 17-year-olds smoking.
In total, smoking rates have
8.
by 66% since the 1970s, but there are around 6.4 million UK
9.
who still buy cigarettes. Meanwhile, vaping has tripled in
10.
since 2000, officials say. Now, instead of adolescent children smoking, they are developing a vaping
11.
.
It is also
12.
in the UK to sell vapes to under-18s.
Mr Sunak said he wants to end the UK’s “biggest cause of preventable death and disease”. He said four in five smokers start before they are 20, and that later “the vast
13.
try to quit”. In a speech he gave about stopping teenagers from taking up smoking, he gave a
14.
-like remark to “stop the start” of the
15.
habit.

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Fill in missing letters

Fill in the text with these five missing letters: c h v w z

England’s young smokers _ould be denied a__ess to _igarettes under a ne_ poli_y by UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. T_e proposal _ould raise t_e legal age for buying _igarettes by one year e_ery year, starting from 2026. People must be 18 or o_er to legally buy _igarettes in t_e UK. But if t_e toug_ measure goes a_ead, t_en anyone _urrently in t_eir mid-teens may ne_er be able to buy _igarettes.

T_e restri_tions _ould be implemented in England only, not t_e rest of t_e UK. T_e last time t_e minimum age limit for buying _igarettes _as __anged in t_e UK _as in 2007 __en it _as in_reased from 16 to 18. Sunak’s go_ernment said t_at t_e 2007 __ange t_at targeted t_e yout_ sa_ a 30% major redu_tion in 16- and 17-year-olds smoking.

In total, smoking rates _a_e de_lined by 66% sin_e t_e 1970s, but t_ere are around 6.4 million UK _iti_ens __o still buy _igarettes. Mean__ile, _aping _as tripled in popularity sin_e 2000, offi_ials say. No_, instead of adoles_ent __ildren smoking, t_ey are de_eloping a _aping addi_tion. It is also illegal in t_e UK to sell _apes to under-18s.

Mr Sunak said _e _ants to end t_e UK’s “biggest _ause of pre_entable deat_ and disease”. _e said four in fi_e smokers start before t_ey are 20, and t_at later “t_e _ast majority try to quit”. In a spee__ _e ga_e about stopping teenagers from taking up smoking, _e ga_e a slogan-like remark to “stop t_e start” of t_e deadly _abit.

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Cool-down discussion, keywords, and game

Discussion questions:

  • What would you say to someone to persuade them to stop smoking?
  • What is the legal age to buy cigarettes in your country and should it be raised?
  • Why is vaping becoming increasingly popular?
  • Regarding changing something, what does the phrase “a breath of fresh air” mean?
  • Regarding stopping something, what does the phrase “cold turkey” mean?

CEFR B2 10 lesson keywords:

Used in this lesson as an adjective (adj), noun (n), or verb (v).

  • addiction (n)
  • citizen (n)
  • deadly (adj)
  • deny (v)
  • majority (n)
  • measure (n)
  • minimum (adj)
  • proposal (n)
  • restriction (n)
  • youth (n)

Language game:

In the table below, add one word to each box that matches both the category and the beginning letter, e.g. a flavour beginning with S is strawberry.

S T O P
A flavour
A good or bad habit
Something cheap
A word ending in -er
Something used by hand

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