The Government is being urged to tackle the impact of the black market for tobacco on the day the Department of Health published its tobacco strategy, which outlines plans to reduce the percentage of the population who smokes to 10% by 2020.
James Lowman, chied executive at the Association of Convenience Stores, said: ”Tackling the black market, which thrives among under-18s and in our most disadvantaged communities, must be the number one aim of the Government’s tobacco policy.
“While the strategy sets out plans to do more in tackling the illicit trade overseas, it still does not address the issue of black market racketeers on the street.
“There needs to be a focus on inland enforcement, spearheaded by new tougher penalties for bootleggers and greater investment.
“There is also crippling confusion over responsibilities between police, trading standards and customs at the local level as whose responsibility it is tackle inland enforcement.
“We are disappointed that the strategy does not take steps to clear up this confusion.”
On the decision not to include tobacco licensing, he said: “We are glad that the Government has decided not to propose tobacco licensing for convenience stores.
“As we clearly demonstrated, such a policy would only penalise responsible retailers, while doing nothing to address the minority of irresponsible retailers, bootleggers and adults who are the main source of tobacco for young people.”
The Department of Health’s tobacco strategy, called ”A Smokefree Future”, is described as a ”comprehensive tobacco control strategy for England”.
The strategy includes a crack down on cheap illicit cigarettes by investing extra resources in overseas officers that will stop 200 million cigarettes entering the UK every year; new types of support for smokers who want to give up; the Government will carefully consider the case for plain packaging; stopping the sale of tobacco from vending machines; and
reviewing smoke-free laws .
