TSI Manifesto 2010

The North of England Tackling Illicit Tobacco for Better Health programme is the first of its kind in the UK, bringing together trading standards from across three government regions, HM Revenue and Customs, Police and Department of Health in a joined-up programme to tackle illicit tobacco in the North of England. Since the programme was launched in 2009, hundreds of thousands of illicit cigarettes have been removed from the market and many criminal ring leaders have been brought to justice.

trading standards are able to carry out checks on both UK-produced and imported goods to ensure toys, electrical goods, nursery products, upholstered furniture and other goods are safe for consumers and public use. Community safety initiatives that operate effectively at a local level are driven by partnerships between business, local authority trading standards services, licensing authorities, the Department of Health, Primary Care Trusts, and the police. Activities aimed at the night- time economy, underage drinking and illicit tobacco but can only be delivered to maximum effect via partnerships and with adequate funding. Community Alcohol

Partnerships bring together trading standards, police, licensing authorities, retailers and schools to tackle underage sales and anti- social behaviour. Trading standards help to

protect vulnerable young people from alcohol abuse and ensuing anti-social behaviour by stamping out underage sales through test purchasing and the prosecution of offenders. Proof of Age cards and the PASS Identity Scheme are

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championed by trading standards to prevent the sale of age- restricted products. They make it easier for shop

staff/owners and bar staff to tell genuine identity documents from false documents that can result in illegal sales. Trading standards work investigating and prosecuting businesses that sell tobacco to underage consumers has been recognised as a vital part of public health work to lower the number of smokers. Research by the Department of

Health suggests that the biggest motivation for giving up tobacco is price which is why the sale of illicit tobacco17, which is sold at a fraction of the price of legitimate products, directly undermines the government’s tobacco pricing strategy18 designed to motivate people to give up smoking. It is estimated that one in six cigarettes smoked is illicit.

The impact of the first

Community Alcohol Partnership at St Neots revealed positive impacts in reducing anti- social behaviour by 45% in one year and a 94% decrease in underage people found in possession of alcohol19.

Illicit means smuggled tobacco for which no duty has been paid, counterfeit tobacco which has been produced in the UK or overseas and bootlegged tobacco which is purchased in a country with low levels of taxation and smuggled into the UK. 18 The Department of Health estimate every 10% rise in tobacco price produces a 4% drop in smoking prevalence. 19 Cambridgeshire Trading Standards Service, Report to Huntingdonshire Community Safety Partnership, 2009.

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