Parents Urged to Report Illegal Tobacco Sales

The parents of children who have been sold illegal tobacco are being urged to make reports to the police. It is hoped that any reports will help the police track the source of the illegal tobacco and restrict the supply.

Illegal tobacco sellers have been known to target those under the minimum age required to purchase tobacco due to their willingness to entertain inferior products. These products do not necessarily adhere to consumer regulations that are imposed on products that are available on the legal market. These compromised standards could be incredibly dangerous to anybody who smokes the illegal tobacco.

The illegal sellers traditionally take to the streets to sell their wares to teenagers and even younger teens.

Areas such as South Tyneside have in particular made a push to ensure that the number of illegal sales are restricted and the potential dangers are limited.

South Tyneside Councillor Fay Cunningham has called for parents to help them stamp down on the illegal activity.

Sale of illegal tobacco is not a victimless crime, said Ms Cunningham. Children and young people are often targeted by dealers, putting them at risk of developing a harmful addiction.

The illicit tobacco market is also strongly linked to organised crime, such as drug dealing and money laundering. I would encourage any residents who have information about illegal tobacco to contact Crimestoppers in confidence.

Only products that have undergone consumer checks and meet the strict regulations are sold on the UK market is tobacconists and tobacco retailers. This ensures that all of the products that are available to the British public meet the required standards and do not pose any unnecessary risks.

One of the biggest concerns with the influx of illegal tobacco products is the increased sales to teenagers and young children. Many councils, schools and tobacco bodies would like to decrease the exposure to tobacco products that minors currently have. This falls in line with the heightened minimum age of sale of tobacco products that occurred in the past couple of years from 16 to 18.

All illegal sales of tobacco products should be immediately reported to the police and crimestoppers.