Published 9 October 2008, doi:10.1136/bmj.a1933
Cite this as: BMJ 2008;337:a1933

Analysis

Why combating tobacco smuggling is a priority

Robert West, professor of health psychology1, Joy Townsend, emeritus professor of economics and primary care 2, Luk Joossens, senior policy adviser3, Deborah Arnott, director4, Sarah Lewis, professor medical statistics 5

1 Cancer Research UK Health Behaviour Research Centre, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, London, 2 Public and Environmental Health Research Unit, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, 3 Framework Convention Alliance, Brussels, Belgium, 4 Action on Smoking and Health, London, 5 Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Nottingham, Nottingham

Correspondence to R West robert.west@ucl.ac.uk

Robert West and colleagues argue that reducing the amount of tobacco smuggled into the UK might prevent substantial numbers of premature deaths

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Smuggled tobacco accounts for a sizeable proportion of consumption in the United Kingdom.1 Despite this, the UK dropped public targets for reducing tobacco smuggling in March this year. Responsibility for border controls is being passed from Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs to the new Border Agency, which has been asked to publish a strategy for tackling smuggling before this year’s prebudget report. We present figures highlighting the serious effects of tobacco smuggling and suggest that the strategy should increase the effort and resources dedicated to reducing it.

Prevalence of cigarette smoking in the UK is falling by about 0.4% a year but more needs to be done to speed the rate of decline.2 Smoking remains the single largest preventable cause of premature death in the UK. Latest estimates put the prevalence of cigarette smoking at 22%.3 However, the true figure may be higher as the 2% decline from the previous . . . [Full text of this article]


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The Government encourages tobacco smuggling.
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