Tobacco Control Campaign Hub

Enhancing local tobacco control: preventing under age sales of tobacco

This project was designed and delivered by the CTSI as part of the Department of Health support arrangement for trading standards services in England; this included advice and guidance for participating authorities.

The aims were to increase knowledge and awareness of the variety of sources of intelligence available to trading standards services to help inform local activity in relation to under age sales of tobacco. In addition, to coordinate a testing programme across England with the resulting data used to recommend future actions.

Whilst the majority of businesses tested were found to comply with the law, there were 63 illegal sales made representing a percentage illegal sale rate of 18%.