This September, the Council and local partners will be highlighting the risks of illegal cigarettes, vapes and smokeless tobacco.
Hounslow Council is bringing together local experts for two events to inform residents about the dangers of illegal tobacco. The Tobacco Awareness Roadshow will run on Monday, 22 September at Bell Square off Hounslow High Street and Tuesday, 23 September at Feltham Duck Pond. Both days will run from 11am to 4pm.
With figures from London Trading Standards revealing that almost one million illegal cigarettes were seized in the capital between April 2023 and March 2024, the Council is hosting two roadshow events to address this dangerous criminal trade.
There will also be information available on illegal vapes – including single-use vapes, which are now banned.
Protecting health and community
The roadshow is led by the Council’s s Trading Standards team, that leads local efforts to clamp down on the sale of illegal tobacco and vapes. Representatives from the police, London Fire Brigade and the Council’s Community Safety will also be on hand to answer any questions from residents.
Events like the Tobacco Awareness Roadshow are part of a wider campaign to raise public awareness about the threat illegal tobacco poses to people’s health, local businesses, and the associated criminal activity that affects communities across Hounslow.
This event is designed to highlight the risks it poses, protect the public, and support ongoing enforcement efforts to combat the issue of illicit tobacco and traders that operate illegally in Hounslow.
A range of voices
Residents attending the roadshow will have the opportunity to engage with a range of health and community professionals, including Healthy Hounslow’s stop smoking service, the Health Outreach Team, and Addiction Recovery Community (ARC) Hounslow. These experts will offer support and advice for those looking to quit smoking or seeking information on addiction and health
Community safety and enforcement teams will be available to talk to, Including officers from the Metropolitan Police, London Fire Brigade and Hounslow Council’s Community Safety team. They’ll be able to answer any questions about how they’re tackling the sale of illegal tobacco and vapes and protecting Hounslow communities.
Councillor Lily Bath, Hounslow Council’s Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, Public Health and Transformation, said:
Tackling the sale of illegal tobacco in Hounslow is a key priority for the Council. The impact it has on our residents’ health is worrying and needs to be addressed. We won’t stop until we’ve significantly reduced the flow of these dangerous products brought in by criminal gangs.
I’m grateful for the work of our excellent Trading Standards team in this area, along with our partners in the police and fire brigade.
