A CAMPAIGN designed to tackle the problems caused by the sale of illicit tobacco is being orchestrated by North Yorkshire County Council to mark No Smoking Day.

Illicit tobacco refers to cigarettes, hand rolling tobacco or other smoker’s products that have been smuggled into Britain without tax being paid on them, or are counterfeit. They are usually available through unlicensed outlets, which often sell tobacco products to children.

In North Yorkshire, the Keep it Out campaign will put emphasis on raising awareness of the implications of these cigarettes and tobacco being available in the county’s communities and encourages both smokers and non-smokers to report the sale of illicit tobacco through a confidential telephone line.

County Councillor Caroline Dickinson, North Yorkshire’s Executive Member for Public Health, Prevention and Supported Housing said: “Our trading standards team is urging anyone who has information about the supply of illicit tobacco to help tackle this problem by reporting it anonymously through the Keep It Out e-form on www.keep-it-out.co.uk, or via telephone on 0300 999 0000.

A recent survey in every district showed overall that 31 per cent of smokers have tried illicit tobacco, which makes up nine per cent of the tobacco market and 16 per cent of smokers feel comfortable with it being on sale.