▁ ▁The ▁British ▁Medical ▁Journal ▁states ▁that ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁drive ▁to ▁help ▁sm ok ers ▁quit ▁sm oking , ▁Britain ▁has ▁the ▁world ' s ▁largest ▁reduction ▁in ▁the ▁number ▁of ▁death s ▁from ▁lung ▁cancer . ▁ ▁Pre viously ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 0 , ▁the ▁UK ▁had ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁highest ▁rates ▁in ▁the ▁world . ▁The ▁annual ▁number ▁of ▁death s ▁from ▁lung ▁cancer ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁was ▁half ▁of ▁what ▁it ▁was ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 5 . ▁ ▁Red uc ing ▁the ▁pre val ence ▁of ▁sm oking ▁to ▁ 5 % ▁could ▁avoid ▁nearly ▁ 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 ▁new ▁cases ▁of ▁sm oking - related ▁disease ▁including ▁ 3 5 , 9 0 0 ▁can cers ▁over ▁twenty ▁years ▁and ▁save ▁£ 6 7 , 0 0 0 , 0 0 0 ▁a ▁year ▁in ▁health ▁and ▁social ▁care ▁costs ▁according ▁to ▁research ▁commission ed ▁by ▁Can cer ▁Research ▁UK . ▁ ▁Age ▁restrictions ▁ ▁England ▁and ▁Wales ▁ ▁Until ▁ 1 ▁October ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁the ▁minimum ▁age ▁to ▁purchase ▁and ▁consume ▁to b acco ▁products ▁in ▁public ▁was ▁ 1 6 ▁years ▁of ▁age . ▁From ▁ 1 ▁October ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁the ▁Children ▁and ▁Young ▁Pers ons ▁( S ale ▁of ▁Tob acco ▁etc .) ▁Order ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁became ▁effective , ▁raising ▁the ▁minimum ▁purchase ▁age ▁to ▁ 1 8 ▁years ▁of ▁age . ▁There