§ Chris GraylingTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has carried out into the health implications of cigarette smuggling. [96516]
§ Ms BlearsThere is clear evidence that price affects consumption and the availability of smuggled cigarettes acts against our efforts to reduce smoking prevalence.
The price a person has to pay for cigarettes is linked to the likelihood of that person smoking. The higher the price the greater the likelihood that a person will not buy cigarettes.
Smuggled cigarettes are sold at relatively low prices and therefore encourage people to purchase and smoke cigarettes. With lower levels of smuggling we would expect fewer people to smoke and hence fewer people to develop smoking related illnesses.