Public support for tobacco control policies in England

• The public overwhelmingly support government action to reduce smoking. In 2026, 44% of people felt the Government was not doing enough to limit smoking, and 31% that their level of action was about right, compared to 9% who felt that the Government was doing too much.
• 65% of the public support plans to phase out the sale of tobacco to anyone born after 2008, compared to 14% who are opposed.
• 77% of the public support a levy on tobacco manufacturers to raise funding for measures to help smokers quit and prevent young people from taking up smoking.

The results on this page are drawn from a nationally representative survey conducted by YouGov on behalf of ASH in February to March 2026. The survey was conducted online with 13,259 adults aged 18 and over in Great Britain, including 11,018 adults in England. Data has been weighted to provide a representative sample of the adult population in GB and in England. 

The public in England overwhelmingly support more Government action to reduce smoking. In 2026, 44% felt that the Government was not doing enough to limit smoking and 31% thought that what they were doing was about right. Only 9% felt that the Government was doing too much.

Among smokers, over half felt that the Government was doing either about right (32%) or not enough (20%), with only 30% saying that the Government was doing too much.

67% of people in England support the goal to make Britain a country where no one smokes, with only 14% opposed. This support holds across society, ranging from 58% in the most deprived 10% of areas to 74% in the least deprived 10% of areas.

Three in ten smokers (30%) support the goal of a smokefree society, compared to 42% who are opposed. However, this varies depending on their desire to quit smoking. Among the 33% of smokers who hope to stop smoking soon, 45% support the smokefree goal while 28% are opposed. 

The Tobacco and Vapes Act includes a measure to phase out the sale of tobacco products to anyone born after 2008. This will create a ‘smokefree generation’ who can never legally be sold tobacco. 

This policy is extremely popular, with 65% of adults in Britain in favour, compared to only 14% opposed. Among people who smoke, 44% support the generational ban, with 29% opposed. 

Support for the smokefree generation is strong across the political spectrum with majority support from those who voted for all the main political parties in 2024. Data is representative of GB adults by key demographics, but party vote is not controlled for and is based on natural fallout.

ASH is calling for a ‘polluter pays’ levy on tobacco manufacturers to raise funding for measures to help smokers quit and prevent young people from taking up smoking. A levy could raise up to £5 billion over 5 years, directly from tobacco companies. 

77% of the British public support a levy on tobacco manufacturers, with only 6% opposed. 

The Government has proposed extending the ban on smoking in indoor public places to children’s playgrounds and outside schools and hospitals. Support for each  is over 80% of adults in Britain, with fewer than 10% opposed. 

ASH has called for the Government to go further and ban smoking outside hospitality settings like pubs, cafes and restaurants. This is supported by 62% of adults, with 20% opposed. 

Smokefree does not mean customer free. Almost half (40%)of people say they would be more likely to visit these venues if smoking was banned outside, compared to only 19% who said they would go less often. 

• Public opinion tool – A tool setting out public support and opinion on key issues in tobacco control, broken down by regions in England.
• MRP constituency polling data – Constituency-level polling data on support for raising the age of sale for tobacco to create a smokefree generation as of Spring 2024.
• ASH report: Public support for a smokefree society (2025) – Data on public support for tobacco control measures in England.
• ASH briefing: Support for stopping the start (2024) – Data on public and retailer support for raising the age of sale for tobacco to create a smokefree generation broken down by nation, region, and prior voting behaviour.
• ASH. Regulation is not a dirty word: Local retailers’ views of proposals for new tobacco laws. November 2022.