An Elgin shop has been issued with a £200 penalty notice for selling a tobacco product when it was not registered to do so.
Moray Trading Standards officers issued the notice to the unnamed retail outlet after taking possession of tobacco wraps valued at £300 which will be used as evidence in any future legal proceedings.
Tobacco wraps are used for hand-rolling cigarettes and cigars but can also be associated with cannabis smoking. The wraps seized had various flavours such as ‘peach passion’ and ‘berries’.
Trading Standards said that the retailer in question had ignored previous advice from them to register with the Scottish Government to sell tobacco products.
Moray Trading Standards manager Peter Adamson commented: “While these products may be considered undesirable, they are not illegal.
“Anyone selling tobacco products, including wraps, must be registered with the Scottish Government. Wraps carry the same serious health risks as other tobacco products.”
Tobacco wraps are widely available for sale from online outlets although they have been declared in some US states. They are flavoured cigar leaves that allow the purchaser to make their own cigars, pipe tobacco or cigarettes.
Trading standards can advise businesses on legal restrictions covering the sale of tobacco and on all other trading standards laws. They can be contacted on 0300 123 4561.