A SPIKE in black-market sales of fake cigarettes could be funding organised crime gangs.
New stats revealed 11 out of 12 regions are reporting a boom in the illicit trade across the past year, with Scotland seeing a rise of more than 20 per cent.
While Northern Ireland and the South East of England had seen rises of 15.9 per cent and 14.5 per cent respectively.
The report also found the UK is ranked third out of 38 countries when it comes to the amount of illegal tobacco products – with one in four smoked said to be contraband.
While London has seen a surge of 109 per cent since 2020, according to the data commissioned by Philip Morris International via KPMG.
Further data surveying 200 London shop owners revealed a third are convinced sales of such products are fuelling dangerous and organised crime.
The poll revealed youth tobacco and vape use, violent crime, and money laundering linked to the illicit trade are higher in London’s poorest communities.
And the cost-of-living crisis is seen as a contributing factor, with half of all shopkeepers citing economic hardship and the demand for cheaper products as drivers of illicit use.
Former Scotland Yard detective, Will O’Reilly, revealed undercover operatives had visited 60 retailers in the capital and more than half were openly selling harmful and unregulated smoking products.
Will O’Reilly said: “This is a pattern I’ve observed across the country, with stores selling dangerous illicit cigarettes and vapes.
“Eliminating the illegal cigarette market alone could strip organised crime of profits equivalent to funding over 115,000 new police officers.”
It also emerged 52 per cent of retailers polled fear higher taxes on legal products might boost the illicit market.
Similarly, 44 per cent are concerned restrictive regulations on legitimate alternatives could inadvertently increase such activity.
Respondents also showed their commitment to supporting anti-illicit product efforts by purchasing only from legitimate sources and reporting illegal activities.
Despite this, 40 per cent doubt illicit use will drop by 2030, England’s smoke-free goal.
Seven in 10 would also like to see stronger law enforcement and three quarters would back harsher penalties for rule breakers.
While 71 per cent want to see improved access to legitimate, affordable smoke-free alternatives like e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products.
Duncan Cunningham, from Philip Morris Limited (PML), added: “The illicit tobacco and vape trade poses a direct and serious threat to public health, preying on deprived communities and driving youth uptake.
“With the UK already among Europe’s largest illicit cigarette markets, we must strike a careful balance: safeguarding people, especially youth, from harmful illicit products, while ensuring adult smokers have access to smoke-free alternatives.
“To truly achieve a smoke-free future, we must protect future generations and support the 6.4 million adult smokers in the UK by maintaining access to regulated alternatives that have already helped millions quit cigarettes.”
Smoking vs. vaping
VAPING has been touted as an effective tool to help people quit smoking.
Though vaping is substantially less harmful than smoking, the habit isn’t completely harmless and comes with its own set of risks.
The NHS only recommends it for adult smokers, to support quitting smoking.
GP and author Dr Philippa Kaye explained to The Sun that the differences between vaping and smoking – and whether one is better than the other – is “complicated”.
“In a nutshell, vaping is better than smoking, but breathing air is better than vaping at all.”
Vaping exposes users to far fewer toxins – and at lower levels – than smoking cigarettes.
Switching to vaping significantly reduces your exposure to toxins that can cause cancer, lung disease, and diseases of the heart and circulation like heart attack and stroke.
These diseases are not caused by nicotine, which is relatively harmless to health. But research has still linked vaping to a higher risk of failure and lung disease.
Health risks of cigarettes
- Smokers are more likely than nonsmokers to develop heart disease, stroke, and lung cancer
- Smokers are at greater risk for diseases that affect the heart and blood vessels
- Smoking can cause lung disease by damaging your airways and the small air sacs
- Smoking can cause cancer almost anywhere in your body
- It affects overall health too, such as your mouth, eyes, immune system and fertility
Health risks of vaping
- They can cause side effects such as throat and mouth irritation, headache, cough and feeling sick
- They could lead to tooth decay
- They could damage heart health
- They could cause lung disease
- They could slow brain development
Read more on how vaping can affect your health here.
Sources: NHS, CDC
