MORE than a third of children in Wales who smoke have been approached by sellers of illegal tobacco according to new research.

ASH Wales carried out research which showed that 32 per cent of smokers ages between 11 and 16 in Wales who were surveyed had been offered cheap, illegal tobacco, with 25 per cent of those going on to buy it.

Illegal tobacco can include ‘cheap whites’ which are cigarettes mass produced in one country and smuggled into another, ‘fakes’ which look like well-known brands and genuine tobacco smuggled into the UK without paying the relevant duty.

More than 1,000 children were surveyed by NEMS and the findings showed that 39 per cent were offered illegal tobacco by friends or family, with 17 per cent being offered it in school and 11 per cent in shops.

The majority of the children who had bought the illegal tobacco – 89 per cent – said they were highly likely to buy it whenever they were offered it, with half saying they would buy it because it was easier or cheaper than getting it any other way.

ASH Wales has joined the Welsh Government and Trading Standards to launch a national campaign to encourage anyone who knows about the sale of illegal tobacco to report it anonymously through the NoIfs-NoButts website.

Suzanne Cass, CEO of Ash Wales, said: “Smoking is not a lifestyle choice it is a deadly addiction that nearly always starts in childhood.

“These latest figures show that far too many children in Wales are being offered and sold illegal tobacco by criminals who don’t care how old they are or about the laws we have in place to protect them.

“Cheap illegal tobacco creates a gateway into smoking because its cheap and east to get hold of. We need communities across Wales to pull together and report these illegal sales and protect our children.”

Lynne Neagle MS, deputy minister for mental health and wellbeing, said: “I am aware of the recent research from NEMS and I am concerned by this. When we protect our children from illegal tobacco, we protect them from life of possible tobacco addiction.

“Smoking is the leading cause of preventable illness and premature death in Wales, a fact that dominates our health landscape. That’s why the Welsh Government has set a target of a smoke-free Wales by 2030, meaning less than 5 per cent of the population smoking.

“I am especially committed to keeping cigarettes out of the hands of children and I urge anyone to report sellers who break the law.”

In 2021, Welsh Trading Standards teams confiscated over 3 million illegal cigarettes off the informal black market. If you know anyone who is selling illegal tobacco in Wales, an anonymous reporting portal can be found at: noifs-nobutts.co.uk.