Adults deserve as much protection as children do when it comes to smoking.

That's according to Luke Clancy, head of the Tobacco Free Research Institute.

He was speaking as those aged under-25 could be banned from buying cigarettes in the UK under new plans.

Javed Khan, who is leading a review there, is scrutinising whether national action on smoking goes far enough.

While New Zealand is pressing ahead with plans to introduce laws that will mean young people will soon be banned from legally buying cigarettes.

People aged 14 and under in 2027, when the law comes into effect, will be not be able to purchase cigarettes - while the level of nicotine in cigarettes available to older people will be reduced.

Mr Clancy told Newstalk Breakfast the main impetus in any such approach is to save lives.

"The main interest is: can we stop people from dying from smoking.

"We know there's lots of things that work - in particular price, the banning of advertising and plain packaging, etc.

"One of the things is access - this has been so far aimed mainly at children.

"The idea would extend it so we're protecting not just children, but adults - it's only fair that they should get the protection as well".

'This is freedom'

He says this is not about freedom of choice, but protection.

"We heard this same kind of argument about freedom before - we heard it with seat belts in cars.

"If they would just let them do it, and they go out through the window and they can kill other people.

"This is freedom: we know now about freedom, people are fighting for it at the moment in the Ukraine.

"This is just to control what we know helps people live, and regulates them."

He also says research shows that the "perception of lack of access" deters young people from starting to smoke.