Peers are being urged to reject a generational ban on the sale of tobacco and raise the legal age of sale from 18 to 21 instead.
In a letter to peers ahead of the report stage of Tobacco and Vapes Bill in the House of Lords on Tuesday [Feb 24], Simon Clark, director of the smokers' group Forest, wrote, "'Although we are opposed in principle to raising the age of sale of tobacco above 18, we recognise the political reality of the current situation.
"We therefore ask you to support amendments that seek to remove the generational ban by raising the age of sale from 18 to 21 instead. That, we believe, is a sensible alternative that would achieve most of the government’s aims whilst providing clarity for businesses and consumers in the years ahead."
Citing a "potential increase in illicit trade and retail crime, and the creation of an absurd two-tier society in which younger adults are treated like children, with retail staff forced to ask them for ID to confirm their date of birth or risk prosecution", Clark added:
"Worldwide, only the UK government currently has plans to introduce legislation that will eventually outlaw the sale of tobacco to adults of all ages. In contrast, Ireland is due to raise the minimum age of sale of tobacco to 21 from 2028.
"The Netherlands is reported to be considering a similar policy, and we anticipate that other European nations will follow suit over the next decade.
"It surely makes sense to align the UK with some of our closest neighbours rather than risk a significant loss of revenue as a result of illicit trade, not to mention UK consumers choosing to purchase tobacco from legitimate retailers abroad."
Public opinion, said Clark, is divided on the government’s generational smoking ban. According to Forest, surveys conducted in 2025 found that, given a choice, a majority (58%) supported alternatives to a generational ban.
A quarter (25%) wanted to keep the legal age of sale at 18, while a third (33%) would raise it from 18 to 21. Only 35% supported raising the age of sale by one year every year until no adult can legally buy tobacco.
In another poll, three out of five adults (59%) said that when people are legally an adult at 18 they should be permitted to purchase cigarettes and other tobacco products. Fewer than a third (29%) said they should not.