Under-25s could be banned from buying cigarettes under plans being considered by Government.
A new anti-smoking tsar leading an independent review on how to stop Britons smoking said he is considering recommending a ban similar to one already introduced in New Zealand.
Lawmakers there have banned cigarettes for future generations in a bid to eventually phase out smoking.
Anyone born after 2008 will not be able to buy cigarettes or tobacco products in their lifetime.
Javed Khan, the former CEO of children’s charity Barnardo’s, is leading the independent review and will report on his suggestions to Health Secretary Sajid Javid next month.
Mr Khan said: “We are thinking seriously about the age of sale.
“Is that [New Zealand] the right model? Is there an argument for raising the age to 19, 20, 21, or even 25?”
Smoking rates across the country have been falling steadily over the past 20 years and cigarette use dropped from 15.8% in 2019 to 14.5% in 2020, according to the Office for National Statistics.
There are still six million smokers in England, which has a target to be smoke-free by 2030.
The richest are expected to hit that in 2025, but the poorest will not until the mid-2040s.
Tobacco is the single largest cause of preventable death and 64,000 people died from conditions related to smoking in 2019.
Mr Khan said a culture of thinking the “job is done” had led to some possible solutions being ignored.
His review is also looking at whether campaigns on social media platforms used by young people would be effective.
“Just look at the Covid experience, mass marketing has a big effect, it really works,” he said.
“The Government went hell for leather, it made an enormous difference in vaccination rates.
"So why not do something like that again, if we really want to save people’s lives.”
Smoking is considered the biggest driver of health inequality in Britain.
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While smoking rates have dropped in recent decades they remain stubbornly high in the least wealthy areas.
This is linked to the much lower ‘healthy life expectancy' in the poorest communities, where many live their later years in poor health.
England has a target to be “smoke-free” by 2030.
Cancer Research estimates that the country is currently set to miss the target, not expected to be smoke-free until 2037.
There is a 20-year gap in smoking rates between the least and most deprived people.
The richest are expected to achieve smoke-free in 2025, but the poorest not until the mid-2040s.
