Senior doctors and anti-smoking campaigners have told Sky News they are working towards making the UK a no smoking nation within the next 20 years.
Leading specialist Professor John Britton has called on the Government to back the goal, describing it as entirely realistic.
"Andrew Lansley could make himself a legacy greater than that of almost any other Health Secretary in history," Professor Britton, who chairs the Royal College of Physicians Tobacco Advisory Group, said.
"I think it will be entirely realistic for all practical purposes to eradicate smoking within 20 years."
Although smoking rates are falling, each year it kills around 100,000 people, while 200,000 children and young people take up the habit.
Smoking is estimated to cost the NHS in England alone 2.7bn per year, with the cost to society as a whole estimated to be 13.74bn.
In the North East, which has successfully reduced the number of adults who smoke from 24.2% in 2009 to 21.5% in 2011, the goal of a smoke-free UK within two decades is being actively promoted by Fresh , the regional office for tobacco control.
"Our vision is to make smoking history for our children in the next 20 years and we know there are millions out there that back this," Ailsa Rutter, the organisation's chief executive, said.
Campaigners say they are not pushing for a ban, but want to make cigarettes more expensive, less well advertised and too socially unacceptable for most people to continue smoking.