Mr Burnham wants to halve the number of smokers in the UK

By Simret Samra

Health secretary, Andy Burnham, will review the current law to see if it should be strengthened to include areas where smokers have been gathered since the 2007 ban.

Plain packaging for cigarettes and a complete ban on cigarette vending machines could also be introduced.

Mr Burnham said he wants to halve the number of smokers in England from one fifth (21 %) to one in 10 by 2020.

An extension of the ban - which currently covers enclosed spaces - to include open-air but busy areas such as office doorways, bus shelters and pub gardens, would also reduce passive smoking, Department of Health officials believe.

The number of smokers in the UK has fallen by a quarter in he past decade, but an estimated 200,000 young people start smoking every year.

Mr Burnham said: “Most smokers start before they are 18, so we have to discourage children and young people from ever starting.

“Now that we’ve banned advertising and will soon see an end to attractive displays in shops, the only remaining method of advertising tobacco is the packaging. So we will carefully consider whether there is evidence for making tobacco companies use plain packets.”

In 2007 more than 80,000 deaths and 1.4 million hospital admissions were attributed to smoking and the Department of Health said the habit costs the NHS £2.7 billion a year.