British people caught farming their own tobacco have been warned they could face a hefty penalty if they do not pay duty on it, according to a story in The Star.
With 20 cigarettes retailing at about £7-£8 and 25 g of fine cut retailing at about £8, some smokers have taken to growing their own tobacco from seeds, which are readily available.
A standard-sized allotment of 500 plants was enough, The Star said, to yield up to 54 kg of tobacco.
But a spokesman for HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) was quoted as saying that anyone growing tobacco at home and smoking it had to ensure they paid the duty legally due, otherwise they could face a fine or have the tobacco seized.
This requirement applied even if the tobacco was for private use.
It was not clear why this story has arisen because it seems unlikely that the number of people growing their own tobacco and smoking it in Britain would be sufficient to attract the attention of the HMRC. Tobacco can be grown in Britain, but it is questionable whether such tobacco could be cured and processed at home in a way that would result in a product acceptable to the modern smoker, especially the cigarette smoker.