RATS’ droppings, ground glass and asbestos are just some of the items found in illegal tobacco products being sold locally.

‘Too good to be true’ offers on cigarettes and tobacco quite often are, say trading standards and health chiefs in Warwickshire ahead of World No Tobacco Day on Sunday, May 31, which this year focuses on illegal and illicit tobacco.

Trading standards have seized illegal and illicit tobacco from individuals, homes and businesses around the county in the last 12 months.

According to the World Health Organisation, one in every 10 cigarettes, and many other tobacco products, consumed worldwide are illegal. Illegal and illicit tobacco has been found to contain asbestos, ground glass, rat and mouse droppings, dead insects, floor sweepings, dust and hay. Illegal tobacco isn’t regulated so its content and where it comes from are unknown.

Young people are often tempted to start smoking illegal tobacco as it is cheaper and easier to get hold of than normal cigarettes. These factors also make it harder to quit.

For information on WHO’s No Tobacco Day, visit www.who.int/campaigns/no-tobacco-day/2015 .