Smoking is recognised as one of the most unhealthy things a person can do, particularly as it raises the risk of all kinds of cancers and other diseases.
Depictions of smoking on TV have been criticised, with Netflix saying they would be working to "reduce smoking imagery" in their programmes in all cases save for historical inaccuracy.
A succession of bans and restrictions has sought to cut down on smoking in the UK and these measures have helped bring down the number of smokers, but it's not quite enough for the government.
The Claim
The Daily Mirror reports that leaked documents show the government wants to completely wipe out smoking by 2030, seeking to "finish the job" started many years ago.
An upcoming "Green Paper" will introduce new incentives for people to quit smoking, including leaflets inside every pack of cigarettes that provide help and support for people wanting to quit.
Other measures include levies on tobacco companies to help pay for the the public health costs of smoking and a similar measure to pay for a crackdown on black market cigarettes.
Health secretary Matt Hancock is expected to unveil the full set of measures next week with the goal of having no more smokers within 11 years.
The health issues caused by smoking cost the NHS a significant amount of money each year, cutting down on smoking and reducing the rate of smoking related diseases would be a major boon.
The Counter Claim
However, Simon Clark of smokers' group Forest said people had the right to smoke cigarettes "without being harassed to quit".
Clark argued that the government shouldn't be dictating how people lived their lives and the aim of having no smokers in the UK by 2030 would be harsh on people who still wanted to smoke.
Others have suggested the government's measures to improve public health were a sign of an overbearing nanny state getting "too big for her boots".
New taxes on unhealthy foods and an attempt to completely end smoking in 11 years looks like the government going too far in preventing people from damaging themselves.
How far exactly should the government be allowed to go in trying to keep the public healthy? They can introduce new taxes and warnings but seeking to completely eradicate smoking is quite a drastic step, perhaps a step too far.
The Facts
The UK has one of the lowest smoking rates in Europe and the number of Brits who smoke has halved in the past 35 years.
The habit is more popular in impoverished areas and remains "stubbornly high" among certain demographics including manual workers and the LGBT community.
The Daily Telegraph reports that Duncan Selbie, chief executive of Public Health England, declared the number of adults smoking to be in "terminal decline".
New generations of smokers are dwindling as more young people are turning away from tobacco. in 1996 22 per cent of school pupils aged between 11 and 15 were classed as "current smokers", 20 years later this has dropped to just six per cent. Overall, 14.7 per cent of UK adults are smokers.
E-cigarette use has risen sharply, jumping up by 70 per cent over the last two years. Now 6.3 per cent of British adults vape, while a quarter of children aged between 11 and 15 have tried it. Vaping is now the most popular method smokers use to kick the habit.
