The All Party Parliamentary Group on Smoking and Health has proposed new measures that would harm tobacco sales. They include raising the age restriction to 21, introducing a levy on tobacco manufacturers based on annual sales, and cracking down on smoking on TV and in films. 

Chairman of the group and MP Bob Blackman said: “More regulation is essential to the government’s vision for prevention.”

British Lung Foundation chief executive Penny Woods estimated the levy could rase “at least £150m”. She said the funds would fund enforcement against underage and illicit sales. 

However, James Wilkinson, of Pybus Newsagents in York, suggested that enforcing existing legislation would be more effective.

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