Health Act 2006


The Health Act 2006 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It provides for a number of administrative changes in the National Health Service.

Part 1 - Smoking

Chapter 1 - Smoke-free premises, places and vehicles

The Act is best known for having introduced provisions for the creation of a ban on smoking in enclosed public places. This ban focuses on smoking:
The sections of the Act allowing a ban extend to England and Wales although the provisions implementing the ban came into effect separately in England and Wales. In England the ban took effect on 1 July 2007. The ban in Wales came into effect on 2 April 2007.
Smoking was banned separately in Northern Ireland and Scotland — in Northern Ireland by the Smoking Order 2006 which took effect on 30 April 2007, and in Scotland by the Smoking, Health and Social Care Act 2005.

Chapter 2 - Age of sale for tobacco etc

Section 13 granted the Secretary of State the power to increase the age for purchasing tobacco from 16 to 18, which came into force on 1 October 2007.

Part 7 - Final provisions

Section 83 - Commencement

The following orders have been made under this section:
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