The holes in British plans to ban cigarettes and disposable vapes

Rishi Sunak, the prime minister, may be wildly unpopular but some of his policies still command support. Mr Sunak plans, for example, to ban young people from puffing on things. One proposal, to prohibit anyone born after 2008 from ever buying cigarettes, is backed by 71% of voters. Another, to ban disposable vapes, is supported by 83%.These two ideas could form part of Mr Sunak’s legacy, particularly since the devolved governments and the Labour Party support them. But the experiences of two countries on the other side of the world suggest caution. On February 27th New Zealand’s new centre-right government repealed a pioneering anti-smoking law—the inspiration for the British plan—before it could be enacted. In Australia an attempt to ban disposable vapes has been a failure.