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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| 'Tab houses' target child smokers | 'Tab houses' target child smokers |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Cheap cigarettes smuggled from abroad and sold illegally in "tab houses" are getting children hooked on smoking, trading standards officers have warned. | Cheap cigarettes smuggled from abroad and sold illegally in "tab houses" are getting children hooked on smoking, trading standards officers have warned. |
| About 30% of under 18s admit to buying illicit tobacco, particularly in areas of deprivation, officials say. | About 30% of under 18s admit to buying illicit tobacco, particularly in areas of deprivation, officials say. |
| The cigarettes are sold from private homes without age checks, creating a new generation of smokers, they claim. | The cigarettes are sold from private homes without age checks, creating a new generation of smokers, they claim. |
| Tobacco smuggling is thought to cost the UK economy about £3bn a year in lost tax revenue. | Tobacco smuggling is thought to cost the UK economy about £3bn a year in lost tax revenue. |
| 'Cheap whites' | 'Cheap whites' |
| Trading Standards say "tab houses" are a growing problem, often charging half as much as legitimate shops. | Trading Standards say "tab houses" are a growing problem, often charging half as much as legitimate shops. |
| They are also said to introduce some children to cigarettes who might not otherwise be able to afford them. | They are also said to introduce some children to cigarettes who might not otherwise be able to afford them. |
| We're in a recession now, so people want goods cheaply. From the research I've been conducting it's clear that the market in illegal cigarettes is still very solid Dr Rob Hornsby | We're in a recession now, so people want goods cheaply. From the research I've been conducting it's clear that the market in illegal cigarettes is still very solid Dr Rob Hornsby |
| Richard Ferry, from Trading Standards North East, told the BBC: "About 30% of under 18s admit to buying cheap and illicit tobacco. It means they start smoking earlier and they can smoke more. | Richard Ferry, from Trading Standards North East, told the BBC: "About 30% of under 18s admit to buying cheap and illicit tobacco. It means they start smoking earlier and they can smoke more. |
| "The people who sell from tab houses don't care who they sell to." | "The people who sell from tab houses don't care who they sell to." |
| Three types of "tabs" are being sold: | Three types of "tabs" are being sold: |
| • Duty free cigarettes, which should be for personal use | • Duty free cigarettes, which should be for personal use |
| • Counterfeit versions of well-known brands; and | • Counterfeit versions of well-known brands; and |
| • "Cheap whites" manufactured just for the illegal market | • "Cheap whites" manufactured just for the illegal market |
| The UK Border Agency says it has reduced the proportion of illegal tobacco on the market using new technology including more powerful scanners at ports and airports. | The UK Border Agency says it has reduced the proportion of illegal tobacco on the market using new technology including more powerful scanners at ports and airports. |
| On Tuesday it announced its biggest ever seizure - £120m worth of cigarettes found on a boat off the coast of Ireland. | On Tuesday it announced its biggest ever seizure - £120m worth of cigarettes found on a boat off the coast of Ireland. |
| View from Newcastle's West End: "If they bring it, I'll buy it" | View from Newcastle's West End: "If they bring it, I'll buy it" |
| Trading Standards say as they have cracked down on shops selling illegal tobacco, the problem has moved to private homes instead - undermining efforts to improve health in deprived areas. | Trading Standards say as they have cracked down on shops selling illegal tobacco, the problem has moved to private homes instead - undermining efforts to improve health in deprived areas. |
| Dr Rob Hornsby, a criminologist at Northumbria University, said: "We're in a recession now, so people want goods cheaply. From the research I've been conducting it's clear that the market in illegal cigarettes is still very solid." | Dr Rob Hornsby, a criminologist at Northumbria University, said: "We're in a recession now, so people want goods cheaply. From the research I've been conducting it's clear that the market in illegal cigarettes is still very solid." |