With latest figures showing that the sale of illegal tobacco is a big problem in communities throughout Wales, including Conwy and Denbighshire, Clwyd West MS Darren Millar has welcomed the launch of Wales’s first national campaign to tackle the problem.

A survey by Ash Wales found that the illegal tobacco market makes up 15% of all tobacco sales in Wales, with a higher prevalence in deprived communities.

In 2021, an estimated 2.84 million cigarettes and 404kg pouches of hand-rolling tobacco were seized in Wales, with a combined street value estimated at over £775,000.

In Conwy, 3,320 cigarettes (sticks) were seized, and 1.65kg of hand-rolling tobacco, with a combined street value of £1,094.00, whilst in Denbighshire 17,620 cigarettes were seized (Sticks) and 5.7kg of hand-rolling tobacco, with a combined street value of £5,317.00

Darren is therefore pleased that the Welsh Government have launched the ‘NO IFS NO BUTTS’ campaign, spearheaded by ASH Wales and supported by Trading Standards Wales, which promotes why and how to report illegal tobacco.

He said:

“The sale of illegal tobacco undermines key tobacco control measures and funds criminal activity in local communities and has been a problem across Wales for a considerable time.

“For existing smokers, the cheaper price of illegal tobacco enables them to sustain their habit, whilst for younger people, illegal tobacco can be particularly attractive due to the reduced price and easier access.

“The introduction of legislation and stronger age verification checks has made it more difficult for young people to obtain cigarettes from legitimate retailers. While age restriction laws work to prohibit access to tobacco by young people, sales of illegal tobacco bypass all of these key safeguarding measures and increase the risk of young people having easy access to a harmful and addictive substance.

“This campaign will go a long way to reducing the availability of illegal tobacco in Wales,  reducing the demand of illegal tobacco in Wales, and reducing public acceptability of illegal tobacco in Wales.”  

Illegal tobacco covers any tobacco product, cigarettes and hand rolling tobacco, that has not been legitimately produced for the UK market. It includes: smuggled genuine products, cheap whites or illicit whites and counterfeits.

Darren added:

“People can make a difference in the fight against illegal tobacco by reporting the sale of illegal tobacco in their communities. This can be done either online or by phone to Crimestoppers or by visiting the campaign website – www.noifs-nobutts.co.uk – where they can fill in a reporting form. I wish to reassure people, that those reporting illegal tobacco sales will remain anonymous.”