The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) has challenged local government to stub out black market cigarette sales.
Speaking at the Local Government Association’s (LGA) conference on Smoking Regulation, ACS director of public affairs Shane Brennan said a “coherent multi-agency strategy” and more support for trading standards officers was needed to deter illegal sales.
A recent study by the Cancer Research UK Health Behaviour Research Centre suggests that tobacco smuggling causes around 4,000 premature deaths a year – four times the number of deaths caused by the use of all smuggled illegal drugs.
The authors of the study reckon that if there was no smuggling, the price of legal tobacco would increase by around 12%, which would in turn lead to 5–8% of smokers kicking the habit. Brennan also called on retailers to work harder at restricting the sale of tobacco to minors after test purchasing results showed a 19% failure rate.
Speaking at the Local Government Association’s (LGA) conference on Smoking Regulation, ACS director of public affairs Shane Brennan said a “coherent multi-agency strategy” and more support for trading standards officers was needed to deter illegal sales.
A recent study by the Cancer Research UK Health Behaviour Research Centre suggests that tobacco smuggling causes around 4,000 premature deaths a year – four times the number of deaths caused by the use of all smuggled illegal drugs.
The authors of the study reckon that if there was no smuggling, the price of legal tobacco would increase by around 12%, which would in turn lead to 5–8% of smokers kicking the habit. Brennan also called on retailers to work harder at restricting the sale of tobacco to minors after test purchasing results showed a 19% failure rate.
No comments yet