{"id":4837,"date":"2026-07-21T12:19:24","date_gmt":"2026-07-21T12:19:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bangbizarre.com\/index.php\/2026\/07\/21\/sales-of-illegal-cigarettes-soar\/"},"modified":"2026-07-21T12:19:25","modified_gmt":"2026-07-21T12:19:25","slug":"sales-of-illegal-cigarettes-soar","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bangbizarre.com\/index.php\/2026\/07\/21\/sales-of-illegal-cigarettes-soar\/","title":{"rendered":"Sales of illegal cigarettes soar"},"content":{"rendered":"

2026-07-21 12:19:24<\/b>
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Sales of illegal cigarettes are soaring as more smokers turn to black market tobacco to cut costs during the cost of living crisis, according to new research.

\nA study led by University College London (UCL) and funded by Cancer Research UK, found the proportion of smokers buying illicit cigarettes has almost doubled since 2023, with nearly one in four now admitting they have bought tobacco from illegal sources.

\nResearchers analysed responses from 9,996 smokers aged 16 and over and found 23.1 per cent had purchased illicit tobacco at least once in the previous six months, up from 12.2 per cent two years earlier.

\nWhile 76.9 per cent said they bought cigarettes legally, others admitted buying cheap tobacco from friends, purchasing “under-the-counter” products from corner shops or newsagents, or sourcing discounted cigarettes from street sellers, pubs and people in their local area.

\nProfessor Sarah Jackson, of the UCL Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care, is quoted by The Independent as saying: \u201cOur findings suggest that more smokers are turning to illicit sources of tobacco compared with 2023.

\n\u201cThat may partly reflect the financial pressures many people have faced in recent years, as people look for ways to reduce the cost of smoking, which also include switching to cheaper legal products, cutting down, or trying to quit completely.\u201d

\nThe researchers also uncovered worrying evidence of underage tobacco sales.

\nAmong 16 to 17-year-olds who had bought cigarettes, 73.6 per cent said they had purchased them from corner shops or newsagents.

\nProf Jackson said: \u201cWe were concerned by the number of underage participants reporting that they had bought tobacco from ordinary retail outlets.\u201d

\nShe said the Tobacco and Vapes Bill should make it harder for young people to access cigarettes as the legal age of sale gradually rises, but warned: \u201cThe success of the policy will depend not only on changing the law but also on ensuring that it is complied with.

\n\u201cEffective enforcement and clear communication with retailers and the public will be essential, alongside continued efforts to reduce demand by supporting more people to quit smoking or switch to less harmful forms of nicotine.\u201d

\nResearchers stressed the findings do not necessarily mean the illegal tobacco market itself has grown, as the survey measured whether smokers bought illicit tobacco, not how often or how much they purchased.

\nHM Revenue and Customs recently revealed a record 1.9 billion illegal cigarettes, worth around \u00a31.1 billion, were seized in the year to April.

\nSenior author Prof Jamie Brown, also from UCL, is quoted by The Independent as saying: \u201cWhile our findings suggest a growing proportion of smokers are purchasing some or all of their tobacco from illicit sources, this does not necessarily mean the illicit market itself has become much larger.

\n“Our Survey looked at whether people bought tobacco from different sources, but not how often they did so or how much tobacco they purchased from each source, which are important factors in the size of the illicit market.”

\nCancer Research UK urged ministers to strengthen enforcement, while Action on Smoking and Health warned the Government \u201cnot to be complacent\u201d about previous successes in tackling illegal tobacco sales.
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