Tobacco ban idea for those born after 2000

The proposal was put forward by Professor Jon Berrick from the University of Singapore.

Professor Berrick said that Tasmania was the ideal testing ground for phasing out smoking.

Under the ban, those who turn 12 or younger this year would never be able to legally buy or smoke tobacco products.

Ms O'Byrne met with Professor Berrick last week and said she was very interested in his tobacco-free generation idea.

``I believe his proposal is innovative and worthy of serious consideration,'' she said.

``Tasmania has the second-highest smoking rate in Australia and we need to do all we can to stop young Tasmanians taking up the habit in the first place.''

Health spokesmen from The Greens and the Liberals agreed that measures needed to be introduced to decrease the number of smokers in Tasmania, but said that Professor Berrick's solution was not viable.

Liberal health spokesman Jeremy Rockliff said the Singapore experiment would not be part of his party's health plan.

``We should be looking to other creative ways to discourage smoking as part of a wider tobacco reduction strategy, but it's important that policies are practical, enforceable and effective,'' Mr Rockliff said.

``What's next, 50 lashes for people who break the rules?''

The Greens health spokesman Paul O'Halloran said while it was extremely important to denormalise smoking, a ban would echo history's mistakes.

``A generation of smoke-free Tasmanians is a terrific objective to aim for, but the big brother approach of prohibition has never worked,'' Mr O'Halloran said.

``You only need to look at alcohol prohibition and the war on drugs to see that prohibition is an ineffective and costly way to resolve issues such as this.''

Professor Berrick said Tasmania would be well-suited to host a pilot program because of its history of two-party government support towards tobacco controls.