More Smokers Are Buying Tobacco From Illicit Sources, New Study Reveals

UCL study shows more UK smokers use illicit tobacco sources

Published in Nicotine & Tobacco Research, the research analysed repeated cross-sectional survey data from 9,996 participants aged 16 or older who reported they currently smoked.

More smokers are buying tobacco from illicit sources, new study reveals

Research published in Nicotine & Tobacco Research analyzed repeated cross-sectional survey data from 9,996 participants ages 16 and older who reported currently smoking. It found that while most smokers (76.9%) reported purchasing tobacco only from legal sources, 23.1% reported purchasing tobacco from illicit sources at least once in the previous six months during 2025, up from 12.2% in 2023.

More Smokers Purchase Illicit Tobacco, Report Finds

A new UK study tracking how smokers source cigarettes and hand-rolling tobacco reports a notable rise in purchases from illicit channels. Researchers analysed repeated cross-sectional survey data collected from 9,996 participants aged 16 and over who said they currently smoke, focusing on purchasing behaviour over a six-month window in 2023 and 2025. In 2025, 23.1% of smokers reported buying tobacco from illicit sources at least once, compared w…