The Wales-wide survey of over 1,000 11 to 16-year-olds showed that 32% of current smokers had been offered cheap illegal tobacco and 25% had gone on to buy it.

According to latest research from ASH Wales, illegal tobacco makes up 10% of the entire tobacco market, funds criminality in the community and makes it easy for children start smoking.

The NEMS survey, which is the largest of its kind in the UK, showed children in Wales were most likely to be offered illegal tobacco by friends or family (39%), in educational settings (17%) and in shops (11%).

The study also indicated that children who had bought illegal tobacco were highly likely to buy it every time they were offered it (89%).

Welsh Government, Trading Standards and the tobacco action group ASH Wales, have launched a national drive to encourage members of the community to anonymously report information about illegal tobacco through the NoIfs-NoButts website.

Lynne Neagle MS, Deputy Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing, said: “I am aware of the recent research from NEMS and I am concerned by this. When we protect our children from illegal tobacco, we protect them from life of possible tobacco addiction.

“Smoking is the leading cause of preventable illness and premature death in Wales, a fact that dominates our health landscape. That’s why the Welsh Government has set a target of a smoke-free Wales by 2030, meaning less than 5% of the population smoking.

“I am especially committed to keeping cigarettes out of the hands of children and I urge anyone to report sellers who break the law.”

The survey also revealed that of the children who bought illegal tobacco, over 50% said it allowed them to continue smoking because it was cheaper and easier to get hold of.   

Suzanne Cass, CEO of ASH Wales, said the case for action was now very clear: “Smoking is not a lifestyle choice it is a deadly addiction that nearly always starts in childhood.

“These latest figures show that far too many children in Wales are being offered and sold illegal tobacco by criminals who don’t care how old they are or about the laws we have in place to protect them.

“Cheap illegal tobacco creates a gateway into smoking because its cheap and easy to get hold of. We need communities across Wales to pull together and report these illegal sales and protect our children.”

Illegal tobacco takes many forms, which includes:

• ‘Cheap whites’, which are cigarettes mass produced in one country and smuggled to another.
• Fakes, which look like well-known brands.
• Genuine tobacco smuggled into the UK with no-duty paid (often cheap and display foreign languages).

Reports gathered from the Government’s Noifs- NoButts website have already led to raids across Wales. Last month alone, a quarter of a million cigarettes and 20Kg of rolling tobacco were seized in raids across North Wales.

Trading Standards Tobacco Lead in Wales, Roger Mapleson, said: “The extent of the impact of this criminality on our communities should not be underestimated.

“With nearly one million illegal cigarettes being smoked in Wales every single day, illegal tobacco is being sold in every corner of Wales. 

“We are dedicated to finding those that break the law, seizing illegal product, causing maximum disruption, closing down their operations and prosecuting criminal behaviour.“

In 2021, Welsh Trading Standards teams confiscated over 3 million illegal cigarettes off the informal black market. If you know anyone who is selling illegal tobacco in Wales, an anonymous reporting portal can be found at: noifs-nobutts.co.uk.

Notes:

2022 NEMS Survey Results: 11-16 year olds total sample: 1022

• The 2014 Illegal Tobacco Survey (NEMS), can be found here
• The recent 2022 NEMS survey was run by ASH Wales, and was funded by Welsh Government.
• More information about illegal tobacco in Wales, found here
• Recent North Wales raid (original press release), found here
• 2021 figures from national illegal tobacco raids in Wales (original press release), found here
• Noif- No Butts reporting portal found here