The U.K. government is seeking a ban on cigarette marketing displays in retail shops and is moving to prevent access to cigarette vending machines by underage smokers, CNN reported Dec. 9.

Rather than a complete ban on cigarette vending machines, the government intends to file a measure that will require buyers to produce proof of age before being able to make a purchase from a vending machine.

Imperial Tobacco PLC, the largest tobacco firm in the U.K., supports the proposal to make access to vending machines more difficult for young people, but called the display ban unnecessary. "We've not seen any credible evidence that showed young people start smoking because of displays in shops," a spokesman for the company said.

The government reported that similar regulations in other countries had lead to a 10-percent drop in smoking among 15- to 19-year-olds. The British Medical Association (BMA) applauded the measures but expressed concern, saying they were discouraged by the decision to not completely ban vending machines.

"We hope the proposals to make vending machines 'childproof' will be rigidly enforced and that if they don't work then this issue will be revisited by ministers," the BMA said in a statement.

Earlier proposals considered by the government which included the complete removal of logos from cigarette packaging and a possible ban on the sale of packets containing 10 cigarettes were rejected.

The new regulations will be phased in between 2011 and 2013.