NHS-funded courses are available at pharmacies across the country.

It comprises of the patient paying one NHS charge of £6.40 (not applicable if the patient is exempt) and then seeing the pharmacist on a once-weekly basis for encouragement and advice. All NRT is free for the duration of the course.

Robert Townsend, 49, runs the course at Cooper Chemists, West Swindon Centre.

He said: "It's frustrating to have to turn young people away, but I do understand why we can't help them.

"As a pharmacy we are covered by completely different laws to tobacconists. The drugs that we give have not been tested on under-18s, and in the medical profession we have to be absolutely correct in everything we do.

"I don't see that many young adults anyway, they're mostly 30-plus. I don't feel that it's because young people don't want to give up it's simply because they're unaware of the scheme. More needs to be done to promote it. On the occasion that I do get an under 18 come to me, their initial reaction is usually astonishment. They can't understand the legal attitude of it."

"Things are being done to help young smokers in Swindon now and there are other ways to get help.

"For example, certain doctors will prescribe NRT for teenagers who seem really keen to give up. It is an unusual situation, but unfortunately my hands are just bound by the law."