30th Oct 09
Children addicted to illegal tobacco
by Paul Russell
Children are becoming addicted to smoking through the sale of illegal cigarettes in ‘tab houses’.
Figures from Trading Standards officials have said that 30 percent of young people had admitted buying cheap and illicit tobacco, much of which has been smuggled into the country.
The cigarettes are sold from private homes in lower socio-economic areas with no age checks, creating a new generation of smokers struggling in the current economic climate.
Trading Standards North East spokesman, Richard Ferry, said that about 30 percent of under 18s admitted to purchasing cheap and illicit tobacco.
He went on to say that it means that they could begin smoking earlier, and the people from the tab houses do not car who they sell to.
The cigarettes which are sold include duty-free cigarettes, which legally should be used for personal use, fake versions of well known brands, and cheap whites, cigarettes intentionally aimed at the black market.
The UK economy loses approximately £3 billion a year in lost tax revenue due to tobacco smuggling.
Meanwhile, an estimated 120 million cigarettes being smuggled into Ireland has been seized by customs. It is understood that the majority of the Palace and Chelsea brands were to be set to the UK market.
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