Background The tobacco-free generation (TFG) proposal advocates prohibiting the sale of tobacco products to people born after the year 2000. In a world-first, the Tasmanian parliament is considering this proposed legislation. Levels of public support for the proposal among adults and adolescents were investigated.

Methods Data were collected via 2 cross-sectional studies in 2014. 1 was a telephone survey of 600 randomly sampled Tasmanians aged 18 years or over, the other a pencil and paper survey of 1888 Tasmanian secondary school students aged 12–17 years.

Regression models were used to examine characteristics associated with support for adults and adolescents, weighted to account for sampling and the Tasmanian population.

Results Support for the TFG proposal was 75% among Tasmanian adults. Majority support extends across all sociodemographic subgroups, including 72% of current smokers. Support was higher among females and those educated up to year 12. Of those aged 12–17 years, 68% supported the TFG proposal, including 64% of those born after the year 2000, who would be directly affected by the TFG proposal. Support was higher among non-smokers and those born before the year 2000.

Conclusions/implications There is strong public support for the TFG proposal in Tasmania, even among smokers and people born after the year 2000.