Treasury Committee hearing pits anti-tobacco lobby against industry data on illicit cigarettes

The Treasury Committee examined high-street non-compliance with tobacco and vape duties, inviting the public-health charity ASH to give evidence. ASH chief executive Hazel Cheeseman asserted that the illicit cigarette market is not expanding and that legal and illegal cigarettes pose the same health risks. Industry representatives, referenced by a commentator named Guido, countered with a University College London survey indicating that nearly a quarter of smokers purchased illicit tobacco over a six-month period, and a Cancer Research UK consumption estimate implying more cigarettes are smoked than HMRC tax data reflect.

Additionally, a peer-reviewed study listed by the WHO FCTC Knowledge Hub found that some counterfeit cigarettes deliver higher concentrations of toxic metals than genuine products. Observers noted the hearing’s limited range of witnesses, suggesting a one-sided view of the evidence. The debate underscores tensions over tax policy, public-health messaging, and the true scale of the black market for tobacco.