?"The miniature cigar sector is the only category that is really stimulating the cigar market and now accounts for 42% of cigar sales. Small cigars and miniatures are the closest to king-size cigarettes in terms of their size and it makes sense that there would be a crossover from one sector to the other"

Iain Watkins Trade communications manager, Imperial Tobacco



?"We have ensured there is a lot of communication about the smoking ban to the licensed and the retail trades. The retail message is one of reassurance; that post-ban, people will continue to smoke. Retailers should watch their own personal trends and patterns and not have any out of stocks when the ban comes into place. It may well change smokers' buying patterns and so it's important that retailers are prepared for the changes that may affect their local area, and stock up their ranges accordingly. There are lots of different variables"

Jeremy Blackburn Trade communications manager, Gallaher



?"Raising the legal age for the purchase of tobacco should substantially reduce illegal sales to young teenagers if it is properly enforced and shows the government is serious about tackling youth smoking. However, increasing the minimum age will not be enough by itself to stop illegal sales of tobacco - it needs to be backed up by an efficient licensing system to discourage retailers from breaking the law"

Deborah Arnott Director of health campaigning charity ASH



?"The legislation regarding lighters should make it more difficult to sell lighters that aren't child-resistant. We welcome this latest legislation from the EU as it is naturally aligned to Swedish Match's overall business strategy of continually improving product quality. As the number one cigarette lighter and matches manufacturer in the UK, we have been geared up to support a move like this for

many years"

Andrew Hardie Marketing manager, Swedish Match UK



?"We are very relieved at the decision by the European Court of Justice not to permit Britain's shoppers to buy tobacco and pay excise duty only in the product's country of origin. If the proposals had gone ahead, the livelihoods of many of our corner shopkeepers would have been seriously threatened since it is so much cheaper to buy outside the UK because of the high levels of tax here"

Ken Patel Leicester retailer and national spokesman for Retailers Against Smuggling