The legal smoking age in England could be raised from 18 to 21 amid a review to make the country smoke-free by 2030.
UK health secretary Sajid Javid is understood to favour major changes to the Government's tobacco policy including tightening rules on sales, according to The Guardian. The Telegraph also said an independent review commissioned by Mr Javid and led by Javed Khan, the former chief executive of Barnardo's, is expected to support new taxes on tobacco profits.
The review is also expected to recommend the NHS increase efforts to encourage smokers, particularly among pregnant women, to switch to vaping and e-cigarettes. Measures continue to be taken to encourage people to switch to vaping and e-cigarettes to limit the health risks smoking brings.
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The health secretary had considered recommending the minimum age be raised to 25, according to The Telegraph, and has said he supports a "polluter pays" policy which would see tobacco companies fund anti-smoking policies. A source told The Telegraph that Javid's stance "has been quite radical".
The current legal limit is 18 but the report, expected to arrive in the coming weeks, will discuss radical changes including moving the minimum age to 21. The minimum age for tobacco purchases was last raised from 16 to 18 in England, Scotland and Wales in 2007.
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