This June, the Council and local partners will be highlighting the risks of illegal cigarettes, vapes and smokeless tobacco.
They will also be offering advice and support to anyone who wishes to stop smoking, vaping or using oral tobacco products.
Hounslow Council is bringing together local experts for two roadshows to inform residents about the dangers of illegal tobacco and vapes, as well as offer support for anyone looking to stop using nicotine products.
The Tobacco Awareness Roadshow will run from 10am to 4pm on Tuesday, 16 June outside Trinity Church on Hounslow High Street, and 11am to 3pm on Wednesday, 17 June on Feltham High Street.
It will build on the success of previous years’ events, which have seen Hounslow residents pop by and learn more about the various teams involved and their work to keep everyone in the borough safe and healthy.
Increasing community safety
Representatives from the Metropolitan Police, London Fire Brigade and the Council’s enforcement team will be on hand to answer any questions.
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.
Health support and advice
Residents attending the roadshow can chat to 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.
Councillor Lily Bath, Hounslow Council’s Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Adult Social Care said:
“We are increasingly concerned about the harms of illegal tobacco and vapes on the health of our residents. I’m grateful to our enforcement teams and our partners for working hard to shut it down.
“I would encourage anyone who is worried about these products to come down and speak to the great range of voices we have at our roadshows. It’s also a great chance to find support to quit smoking.”
Councillor Amy Croft, Cabinet Member for Infrastructure, Enforcement and Recycling, added:
“The illegal trade in tobacco and vapes fuels organised crime and increases the risk of dangerous fires from products that fail to meet the UK’s safety standards.
“Alongside the serious health risks posed by unregulated products, this makes tackling illegal sales a top priority for us in Hounslow. I’d encourage residents to come along and learn more about how we’re working together as a borough to keep our communities safe.”
