Ginny Chadwick, the director of the Preventing Tobacco Addiction Foundation, held her first meetings in Tasmania on Monday to try to persuade parliamentarians to support raising the purchasing age for tobacco products to 21.

She said evidence in the United States showed that the implementation of so- called Tobacco 21 had cut smoking rates.

"Every time we stop a young person taking up smoking, we are saving lives," Ms Chadwick said.

"Since we started in 2005 in some areas smoking by 18 to 21-year-olds has dropped 50 per cent.

"We know that 80 per cent of high school kids in the US get their cigarettes from their social circle and it is terrifying what smoking is doing."

Ms Chadwick said Tobacco 21 was now policy across 54 per cent of the United States.

Tasmania was well placed to lead Australia in introducing the legislation, she said.

"What's important is good enforcement and you have among the best in the world," Ms Chadwick said.

"You need retail checks and in California the retail violation rate of 20 per cent dropped by half when Tobacco 21 was passed.

"The reality is Tobacco 21 laws aren't designed to restrict youth access to tobacco; they are designed to restrict tobacco sellers' access to youth.

"The developing teenage brain is particularly vulnerable to the addictive effects of nicotine, with research showing 95 per cent of smokers start before age 21."

Independent Windermere member Ivan Dean is leading the campaign in Tasmania and has introduced legislation still to be debated on tobacco reform.

He was pleased that Ms Chadwick was able to provide evidence first-hand of the success of Tobacco 21.

"I look forward to providing all stakeholders with the chance to hear the evidence from an expert who has overseen the laws introduced in America and tracked their impact," Mr Dean said.

"The evidence is compelling, and I hope every one of my colleagues will put the lives of Tasmanians first and support the proposed Tobacco 21 laws."