1. Illicit tobacco
Jim McCluskey- Public Health and Public Protection Department
Middlesbrough Council

2. Why is illicit tobacco important?
Smokefree Alliance priority
Undermines all the tobacco control measures
Early starters / hard to quit
Linked to organised crime
Tackling the supply of illicit tobacco is one of the Smokefree Alliance priorities.
The trade in illicit tobacco undermines all the tobacco control measures such as price, taxation, plain packaging, graphic health warnings, age controls put in place to reduce smoking prevalence.
The availability and cheap prices of illicit tobacco make it easier for non-smokers, particularly children, to start smoking, encourage people to smoke more and make it harder for them to quit.
The illicit tobacco trade is often part of organised
criminal activity and is linked to a range of other
illegal trades including the supply of smuggled
or counterfeit alcohol and consumer goods,
people-trafficking and drug smuggling.

3. The picture of the illicit market in Middlesbrough
Ongoing seizures
Prosecution / Closure orders
Multi-agency working
Retailer compliance
KEEP IT OUT
Seizure of cigarettes,36.66 kg hand rolling tobacco, 10 prosecutions,4 court forfeiture orders, 4 ongoing cases & 6 closure orders.
Intelligence supplied to national crime agency resulted in seizure of over 1 million cigarettes & conviction of a major supplier
Advice provided to 263 retailers about the new tobacco & related products and standardised packaging legislation. 73 compliance visits carried out after implementation of regulations.
Participation in regional KEEP IT OUT promotional
campaign to report illicit tobacco

4. Middlesbrough Issues Tackling the supply of Illicit tobacco
Growth of shisha market
Engagement with schools
Reducing second hand smoke - Smoking in
public places, schools, cars, homes

5. Compliant cigarette packaging

6. The Challenges of Tackling Illicit Tobacco

7. More challenges of Illicit tobacco