The Tasmanian Government has walked away from a controversial plan to lift the smoking age to as high as 25.

Last year the State Government announced the plan, that could have resulted in Tasmania becoming the only state in Australia to raise the legal age for smoking above 18.

The plan was to lift it to at least 21, but it could have been as high as 25.

It had been criticised by Civil Liberties Groups and the business community, but welcomed by the Cancer Council.

In a short statement Tasmania's Health Minister Michael Ferguson said the plan was being dropped.

"As I said at the time we released the proposal for consultation, it is a challenging proposal involving a balance of preserving individual adult rights and freedom of choice with the desire to reduce youth smoking," Mr Ferguson said.

"We have consulted widely on the concept after having included it in the Healthy Tasmania Consultation Draft and have come to the view that it is not an appropriate response at this time."

About 20 per cent of Tasmanians smoke — the second-highest rate in Australia.

The move was part of a plan to make Tasmania the healthiest state by 2025.

"The Government takes the smoking challenge very seriously and that is why we have deliberately been strong in our community consultation," Mr Ferguson said.

"Nonetheless, the Government's response to the smoking challenge is bold, and will be announced shortly with the release of the Healthy Tasmania Strategic Plan."

It is not known where the move leaves an even more ambitious plan by Upper House independent MP Ivan Deane to ban Tasmanians born after 2000 from buying cigarettes.

Mr Dean had suggested he was prepared to work with the State Government.