Dr Peter Mackereth said brightly-coloured cigarette packaging was a form of ”silent advertising” for smoking
The government has announced an independent review of cigarette packaging in England, amid calls for action to discourage young smokers.
David Cameron appeared to distance himself from uniform packaging in July, saying further evidence was needed to show whether it would be effective.
Public Health Minister Jane Ellison said it was time to “examine the emerging evidence” on a policy shift.
But Labour said immediate action was needed, “not another review”.
In a Commons statement, Ms Ellison said standardised tobacco packaging would be brought in after the review if “we are satisfied that there are sufficient grounds to proceed, including public health benefit”.
The review, led by paediatrician Sir Cyril Chantler, is set to focus on a pilot scheme in Australia, which became the first country to legislate for standardised packaging in 2011.
For Labour shadow public health minister Luciana Berger demanded to know why the government was delaying the introduction of plain packaging “still further” having already held a consultation on the issue in 2012.
She said ministers were effectively performing a U-turn on July, which was itself, she said, a U-turn on bringing in new rules.
The government has never officially ruled out changes to cigarette packaging laws, but BBC political editor Nick Robinson said that private briefings from Downing Street had previously suggested the idea was “dead”.
He said the move to reopen the issue follows the tabling of amendments in the House of Lords which would have given ministers the power, but not the obligation, to impose regulations on plain packaging and enjoyed cross-party support.
The government was likely to be defeated if it opposed the changes to the Children and Families Bill, he added.
Ms Ellison confirmed that the government would table its own amendment to the legislation, giving ministers the power to introduce regulations when the Sir Cyril’s review is complete in March 2014 – if they decide to proceed with the policy.
If a decision is taken to bring in standardised cigarette packaging options to be considered include packs having a uniform colour (dark olive green has been suggested previously) or using graphic images of smoking-related diseases on all packs.
‘Rise in counterfeiting’
Ms Ellison rejected Labour suggestions the rethink had been prompted by fears of defeat in the Lords, saying: “It’s a year this weekend since the legislation was introduced in Australia. It’s the right time to ask people to look at this.
“This is fundamentally about children’s health. Two thirds of people start smoking when they’re children and it’s one of the most important public health issues we face in this country.
“Asking an independent body to take a look and survey the evidence for us is a sensible next step. We are going to take the opportunity to put regulations in place which will enable us to act quickly.”
Ministers had shelved plans for plain packets earlier in the year, as Iain Watson reports
Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said the government had an “open mind” on the review, but “personally” he hoped it would show that plain packaging was effective.
“If the review… suggests that the emerging evidence argues in favour of plain packaging, it’s a measure which we would then proceed with,” he said, on his weekly LBC radio programme.
But the government faced strong criticism from the UK Independence Party.
Prime Minister David Cameron was “scandalously auctioning off the freedom and liberty of the British people for his own political ends, cheered on by the Labour Party”, the party’s deputy leader Paul Nuttall said.
The Times newspaper says a study conducted in Australia found that smokers using standardised plain brown packets were 81% more likely to consider quitting.
Labour has sought to link Conservative election chief Lynton Crosby’s work as a consultant for the tobacco industry to delays in the policy, something which was rejected by David Cameron at the time the issue was put on hold in July.
Health campaigners say packaging is a “key tool” for the industry to get new customers but manufacturers say uniform packets will increase counterfeiting and the focus must be on reducing under-age smoking.
The ban on images on packaging came into force in Australia on 1 January after a long-running legal battle between the former Labor government and the tobacco industry.
Manufacturers claimed the law was unconstitutional and infringed on their intellectual property rights by banning the use of brands and trademarks.
But they said they would comply after the legality of the measure was upheld by the country’s highest court.
Cancer Research UK said the move would “save thousands of lives”: “Stopping cigarettes being marketed to children as a glamorous and desirable accessory is one of the greatest gifts we can give the next generation.”
The Scottish government has said it is “still committed” to introducing standardised packaging, while New Zealand is also considering the move.
BBC News – Health
The post Fresh look at plain cigarette packs appeared first on TotallyWP.