EAST Lancashire newsagent Suleman Khonat is leading national calls for the government to give more advice to tobacco retailers over major changes to the law.

The Tobacco Retailers Alliance has published a survey members revealing the lack of official support in the lead up to May 20’s introduction of plain packaging, a ban on packs under 30 grammes of hand-rolling tobacco and less than 20 cigarettes and restrictions on e-cigarettes.

Cllr Khonat, TRA National Spokesman, said: “Plain packaging and the small packs ban represented the biggest changes ever in the UK tobacco market and yet the government both clearly did not do enough to assist retailers.

“Retailers of course want to comply with any laws, however,when the powers that be fail to assist help, it helps to explain early reports of some still selling old stock.

“There are clear lessons that need to be learnt.”