Age at which people can buy tobacco in England should rise from 18 by one every year, review recommends

The age at which people can legally buy tobacco in England should rise from 18 by one year every year, a Government-commissioned review has recommended.

The review also recommends the promotion of vapes as an effective “swap to stop” tool to help people quit smoking, as well as improving prevention in the NHS so smokers are offered advice and support to quit at every interaction they have with health services.

Dr Javed Khan, who led the review, said: ““Without immediate and sustained action, England will miss the smoke-free target by many years and most likely decades.

“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.

"My holistic set of recommendations for government will deliver this, whilst saving lives, saving money and addressing the health disparities associated with smoking.

“My proposals are not just a plan for this Government, but successive governments too.

"To truly achieve a smoke-free society in our great country, we need to commit to making smoking obsolete, once and for all.

“It was a privilege to work on this review and get the opportunity to improve the health of people across the country, and I look forward to seeing the government’s response.”