The high street you knew has gone forever
August 11, 2026 by substack.com
The high street you knew has gone forever
The changing high street tells a wider story about regulation, cost and unintended consequences. When legal businesses are squeezed while illicit trade expands, communities do not become healthier or safer — they lose accountable retailers and gain harder-to-control markets. Tobacco and nicotine policy should pay attention to that pattern. If regulation makes responsible shops disappear, the gap will not stay empty for long.
11.80% of the adult population are current smokers. There are approximately 6.7 million current smokers in United Kingdom 13.60% of men are current smokers but only 10.10% of women.
SOURCE: GSTHR
