§ Lord Mason of Barnsleyasked Her Majesty's Government:
What research has been conducted into the increase in smoking among young people due to the smuggling of cheap cigarettes; and whether research can be conducted into the harmful effects of the high tar content of smuggled tobacco. [HL3660]
§ Lord Hunt of Kings HeathTeenage smoking is falling. Regular smoking among 11 to 15 year-olds has fallen from 13 per cent in 1996 to 9 per cent in 1999. It is not possible accurately to assess the volume of smuggled cigarettes smoked by this age group. There is no firm evidence on whether smuggled tobacco products have significantly higher tar levels than domestic products.