AN MP says plain cigarette packs could make tobacco smuggling easier.

Haslingden MP Graham Jones said he was contacted by Tobacco Free Futures regarding support for plain packaging.

However he said changes must take the issue of smuggling into account.

He said: “The introduction of these measures is something with which I have a great deal of sympathy but I would not want to create an adverse problem.

“I do have concerns about the impact plain packaging could have on counterfeit and tax-dodged tobacco that could be on the market.”