The official advisory board for the U.K.'s National Health Service says that smokers ages 12 and older should be given nicotine patches to help them quit, the BBC reported Feb. 27.

The National Institute on Clinical Excellence said that while only adults should be offered stop-smoking drugs like varenicline and bupropion, smokers aged 12-17 should be given nicotine-replacement therapy like patches and gum "when there is clear evidence of nicotine dependence."

"Addiction can occur very quickly after starting to smoke and young people deserve the same level of support in quitting as older smokers," said Deborah Arnott of the smoking-prevention group ASH.

The institute's recommendations are not binding, but are expected to strongly influence government health policy.