Raising the tobacco sale ban from 18 to 21 is likely to reduce smoking rates in young people and make generation smoke free. According to studies, most smokers start smoking during childhood and two-thirds of those who try smoking early will become regular smokers later.
Respiratory specialists from the Imperial College London stated that Increasing the legal age from 18-21 would make it harder for smokers to obtain cigarettes and take the legal age of smoking beyond school age. Raising the ban will also remove a potential source of supply within the schools, besides helping existing smokers to quit, preventing young people from taking to smoking is imperative.
This ban could include the introduction of a retail licensing scheme for tobacco products, which could help limit underage sales. It would also make it easier to ban sales from those who break the law
