Mums inspire war on illegal tobacco

WARRINGTON mums who are worried about the impact illegal tobacco is having on their communities have inspired a new crackdown which aims to find out how it ends up in the hands of children and young people in the area.
More than 8,000 teenagers aged 14 to 17 in the North West admitted to regularly buying fake cigarettes last year, according to a survey by Trading Standards.
A recent You Gov survey highlighted that 74 per cent of people support a crackdown on tobacco smuggling.
Around 75 per cent of people – many of them mums – who took part in the survey were more likely to report someone for selling tobacco if they thought their own children may be at risk from being targeted.
Responding to this and general public concern, the “Get Some Answers” campaign has been launched by Smokefree North West and enforcement teams from Trading Standards in Warrington.
The campaign specifically targets mums and other concerned residents with clean graffiti adverts, street teams, large billboards and posters to encourage people to report illegal tobacco activity that is happening in their area.
“Get Some Answers” asks residents to call Crimestoppers or Trading Standards confidentially with any information they have.
Dr Rita Robertson, director of public health for NHS Warrington, said: “Illegal tobacco is easily available and cheap, making it a key reason why children and young people are able to start smoking. This campaign will now give parents the opportunity in Warrington to change things and tackle this problem.”
Peter Astley, head of Public Protection Services at the borough council, said: “We know there are many concerned residents in Warrington who may not have known how serious this issue is or what action to take. Our research shows that across the North West one in five adult smokers admits to buying illegal cigarettes or tobacco.
“Many people may be tempted to buy tobacco from an acquaintance at work or in the pub who takes regular trips abroad – no questions asked and without realising the damage it is doing in their communities.
“We are encouraging Warrington residents to stop and think about where their cheap tobacco originally comes from, even if they think they’re buying from a trusted source.”
For more information or to report illegal cigarettes sales in Warrington, people are being urged to log onto www.get-some-answers.co.uk or ring Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.