The age at which people can buy tobacco in England should rise by one each year until it becomes a "smoke-free" society, a government-commissioned review
recommended on Thursday (June 9).
The minimum age today is 18. But the review by Javed Khan, former head of children's charity Barnardo's, advised raising it annually until eventually no one can
buy tobacco products.
His review recommends 15 interventions to help the government meet its national target to be smoke-free by 2030, including the promotion of vaping to help smokers
quit.
"Without immediate and sustained action, England will miss the smoke-free target by many years and most likely decades," said Khan.
"A smoke-free society should be a social norm -- but to achieve this, we must do more to stop people taking up smoking, help those who already smoke and support
those who are disproportionately impacted by smoking."
The UK government's proposal to introduce a tobacco and vapes bill received support from the public to create the first 'smokefree generation'.
The historic law to ban the sale of tobacco products to children aged 14 and younger from legally being sold cigarettes in England.
King Charles delivered his first speech as monarch at the state opening of Parliament on Tuesday, 7 November.
The monarch announced the introduction of the "tobacco and vapes bill" in his speech, and it read: "My Government will introduce legislation to create a
smoke-free generation by restricting the sale of tobacco so that children currently aged 14 or younger can never be sold cigarettes, and restricting the
sale and marketing of e-cigarettes to children."