The minimum age required to buy tobacco in England should rise by a year annually until nobody can buy it, a review has recommended.
An independent review by Dr Javed Khan proposes the legal age of sale should rise from 18, at which it currently stands, increasing by a year, each year. Among the 15 recommended interventions, Dr Khan said there should be an extra £125 million per year invested in smoke-free policies, with a further £70 million per year ringfenced for stop smoking services.
The review also stated vapes should be promoted as an effective "swap to stop" tool to help people quit smoking, and there should be improved prevention in the NHS offering smokers advice and support to quit. Dr Khan, former chief executive of children's charity Barnardo's, also called for a tobacco licence for retailers to limit the availability of tobacco across the country, a rethink of the way cigarette sticks and packets look to reduce their appeal, and a mass media campaign to encourage smokers to quit.
