Tobacco Industry Myths Shattered as Smuggling Rates Fall Again
NEW figures released today showing another fall in the illegal tobacco market have been welcomed by health campaigners Fresh.
Official figures released from HMRC show that there was a further fall in tobacco smuggling in the UK in 2010/11.
According to HM Revenue & Customs, in 2010/11:
• an estimated 9% of cigarettes consumed in the UK were illicit compared to 11% in 2009/10.
• The figures for hand rolled tobacco were 38% in 2010/11 compared to 42% in 2009/10.
Meanwhile, tobacco tax revenues have also continued to rise. [2] The March 2010 Budget raised tobacco duty by inflation plus 1% and the March 2011 budget raised tobacco duty by inflation plus 2%.
In the North East, the North of England Tackling Illegal Tobacco for Better Health Programme – set up to bring together the work of the NHS, HMRC, councils and police – has resulted in less illegal tobacco being bought and sold on estates, fewer people turning a blind eye and more action aimed at bringing sellers to justice.
A survey first carried out in 2009 and repeated in 2011 found the volume of illegal tobacco bought had gone down by 39% in the North East – worth over £36m less avoided in duty and VAT evasion.
Ailsa Rutter, director of Fresh, said: “This shows that action is paying off to tackle the supply of illegal tobacco across international borders, along with work regionally and locally to close down suppliers and reduce demand on our estates.
“The tobacco companies are keen to portray illegal tobacco as much worse for smokers and portray this as a problem out of control, but the legal product they sell will kill half of all long term smokers.”
Deborah Arnott, Chief Executive of Action on Smoking and Health, added: “The continuing fall in the illicit tobacco trade is good news for the British economy. Once again it is clear that there is no reason to believe tobacco industry propaganda about the relationship between illicit trade, tobacco taxes, plain packaging or other tobacco control measures.
“We want HMRC and the Border Agency to strengthen their successful joint work on the problem, for the UK Government to work with the European Union to make sure that the EU’s legally binding agreements with the big tobacco firms to stop smuggling work well in practice, and to work with other countries around the world to put the recently negotiated Illicit Trade Protocol into full effect.
“We can defeat tobacco smuggling, and at the same time reduce smoking rates and the toll of death and disease that smoking causes. But if we listen to siren voices from the tobacco industry we will do neither.”
Anyone with information about illegal tobacco being sold can phone Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.