The British Medical Association reports that newspapers and magazines should not image celebrities like Kate Moss smoking and films that glamorize cigarettes should have 15 or 18 restrictions. Tough new measures will be introduced by ministers to make the UK completely smoke free (with no one smoking) by 2035.

Dr Vivienne Nathanson, head of the BMA science and ethics said: “Any film which shows smoking in a positive light should go up one classification, from a 12 to a 15 age certificate, because of the huge impact imagery has on children taking up the habit. Films like Pulp Fiction show Uma Thurman smoking and in the US blockbuster Independence Day every time Will Smith kills an alien he lights up a cigar. The message to young people is that smoking is associated with success and money, where as in reality it is people from the lowest socio-economic groups who smoke.”

According to the statistics almost 1 in 10 children aged between 11 and 15 light up and almost all adults who are addicted began to smoke before the age of 18.

Dr Nathanson, said: “During the last decade we have seen a number of encouraging developments in tobacco regulation that include the introduction of smoke free legislation throughout the UK. However, the long-term trends for people quitting have slowed down in recent years so it is essential that further action is taken to promote a tobacco-free lifestyle that deglamorises smoking. Young people are surrounded by positive images of tobacco – from smoking by parents and peers, to celebrities and role models they see in the media. They are also exposed to robust tobacco industry marketing – all this serves to reinforce the habit as being ‘forever cool’.

A Department of Health Spokesperson said: “Protecting children from smoking is a priority – taking away temptation is one way to do this. We recently launched a consultation looking at how we can stop children smoking. Proposals and ideas include removing branding and logos from all tobacco packaging; having a minimum pack size of 20 – to stop young people, who can only afford packs of 10, buying cigarettes; restricting access to cigarette vending machines and restricting the display of tobacco products in shops, which may include putting cigarettes under the counter.”