A reporting website has been launched as part of a new initiative by the Welsh government to battle illegal tobacco products in the country, reports the South Wales Guardian.

Around 2.8 million illegal cigarettes and almost half a ton of illegal hand-rolling tobacco with a combined value of GBP 750,000 were uncovered in Wales last year. In an effort to fight the illegal tobacco market the Welsh government has launched a new reporting website (www.noifs-nobutts.co.uk) that will identify illegal tobacco, and teach people what to look out for, reports the South Wales Guardian. People can also use the website to anonymously report illegal tobacco.
“This united approach is exactly what we need to drive illegal sales out of our communities and keep our young people safe from the harms of tobacco,” said a spokesperson for the tobacco control organization, ASH Cymru.
“We know illegal tobacco harms health, communities and is a gateway for children to start smoking. The impact of this new multi-agency approach will be far reaching and will enable Wales to disrupt the market from all angles, and in turn protect public health.”
ASH Cymru recently conducted a survey which showed that one in four smokers in Wales is classified as an “illicit buyer” with the illegal tobacco market accounting for 19 per cent of the total tobacco market in Wales, reports the South Wales Guardian.
John Griffiths, chair of the Cross Party Group on Smoking and Health also welcomed the new initiative saying, “This will allow Wales to tackle the illegal landscape from new avenues and help support the already strong disruption activity. I urge people across Wales to report illegal tobacco via the new reporting website to ensure that the illegal market is kept firmly out of our communities.”