Plans for plain cigarette packs scrapped as ‘it’s not a Government priority’

Jason Beattie
2 May 2013
mirror.co.uk

He is reported to have decided that the move is “not one of his core priorities” and has pulled it from next week’s Queen Speech.

David Cameron was accused of caving in to big business today after the Government scrapped plans to bring in plain cigarette packs.

The Prime Minister is reported to have decided that the move is “not one of his core priorities” and has pulled the legislation from next week’s Queen Speech.

Shadow Health Secretary Andy Burnham said the decision was “disgraceful” and claimed Mr Cameron had bowed to lobbying by the tobacco industry.

He said:“This Government has completely lost its way on public health.

“David Cameron promised to get tough on smoking and alcohol abuse, but instead has caved in to big business and vested interests.

“It is disgraceful for a government source to suggest that public health and tackling premature deaths is no longer a priority.

“Ministers must disown these comments without delay.”

In December, Australia became the first country in the world to put all tobacco products in uniform packs.

Cigarette packets and other products are all sold in a standardised colour, with only the brand name and graphic warnings visible.

British Government launched a consultation in April on whether it should introduce similar plans.

But Whitehall sources said the plan had now been ditched, sparking anger among health campaigners who said plain packaging would have stopped from children picking up the killer habit.

Deborah Arnott, chief executive of the campaign group Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), said: “Smoking remains the major preventable cause of death and disability and measures to reduce smoking prevalence are popular and effective.

“Over 60% of the public support standard packaging for cigarette packs.

“It will take a lot of explanation if this crucial public health measure is not included in the Queen’s speech on 8 May.”

Dr Penny Woods, chief executive of the British Lung Foundation, added: “Given the public health minister herself has publicly acknowledged that cigarette packaging encourages young people to start smoking, it is bewildering that the Government are still allowing this by refusing to introduce standardised packaging.

“Over 200,000 young people have started smoking since the Government began its consultation on plain packaging.

“During that time more than 100,000 people have died as a result of their habit.

“The time has surely now come for the UK Government to stop dithering on this issue and follow the example set by their Scottish counterparts.

“Using expensively-designed packaging to sell cigarettes to young people is wrong and should be stopped.”