A raft of charity leaders have given their backing to government plans to ensure children will never be able to legally sold cigarettes in England.

The support has emerged from a meeting last week between government health officials and charity members of health group the Smokefree Action Coalition to discuss the plans, which Prime Minister Rishi Sunak mooted at this month’s Conservative Party conference.

Under the plans, children who turn 14 this year or are younger, will not be able to legally buy cigarettes in England.

The proposed law would make it an offence for anyone born on or after 1 January 2009 to be sold tobacco products. If enacted it could phase out smoking in young people “almost completely” by 2040, said the government.

“This legislation is a critical step on the road to creating the first generation free of tobacco, the biggest cause of cancer, said Cancer Research UK’s executive director of policy Dr Ian Walker.

“At Cancer Research UK we’re committed to working with the government and our partners to get this legislation passed.”

Other charities that attended the meeting included British Heart Foundation, Alzheimer’s Research UK, Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), Asthma+ Lung UK, and Sands.

“This is a critical moment for lung health,” said Asthma + Lung UK chief executive Sarah Woolnough.

“We will do everything we can to protect the next generation from the deadly impact of tobacco, and to help push through these life-saving smokefree plans.”

Another to attend was Mental Health Foundation chief executive Mark Rowland, who is co-chair of the Mental Health and Smoking Partnership group.

He said: “The government’s plan to create a smokefree generation could not be more welcome. Whilst the toll smoking takes on our physical health is well known, it is less well known that it is bad for our mental health, too.

“We know from international experience that the sort of approach proposed by the government is highly likely to be effective, so this will be a real step forward in protecting our country’s mental and physical health.”

British Heart Foundation head of public affairs Susannah Kerr added that the plans “to create a smokefree generation have our full support”.

She said: “People who smoke are almost twice as likely to have a heart attack compared with people who have never smoked. It’s a deadly addiction which has caused serious illness and death for far too long.”

Also discussed at the meeting was youth vaping, “and what can be done to prevent children from using vapes whilst also ensuring they remain available to adult smokers as a quit aid”, said the government.

A government consultation has launched over the smoking ban plans as well as proposals to curb youth vaping. This includes restricting flavours and ensuring vaping is not targeted at children.

Youth vaping rates have tripled in the last three years, according to the government.

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