Delight at Government decision on standard packs
Fresh have welcomed a “crucial” Government step to remove glossy branding from cigarette packaging and make smoking history for more children.
The Government announced last night that MPs will be allowed a vote before the General Election on plain, standardised packaging for all tobacco and cigarettes.
Around 9,000 North East children start smoking every year and there is strong evidence to show standardised packaging is an important measure to:
• Reduce the appeal of cigarettes and tobacco packs, especially to children and young people
• Make packs less misleading – colours like white can be mistaken to mean lower tar and less harmful
• Increase the impact of health warnings.
Two thirds of current smokers start when children, and half of all lifetime smokers will die from a smoking related disease. The average age smokers in the North East start is around 15.
Plain, standardised packaging is supported by 69% of North East adults, and was voted through in principle by a large majority of MPs in the House of Commons and also in the House of Lords nearly a year ago.
In Australia, where standard packs were introduced in 2012, tobacco consumption and smoking rates are at their lowest level ever.
Lisa Surtees, Acting Director of Fresh, said: “We are delighted the Government will give MPs the chance to make the lure of cigarette packs history for more children. Young people deserve protection from every type of tobacco marketing.
“There is such strong evidence that standardised packs would help make cigarette packs less attractive, especially to children and young people. We showed young people in the North East examples of standardised packs and they thought they were much less tempting and less glamorous, contained more tar and were worse for health than branded packs.
“It is not surprising when some packs currently on shop shelves look like make up, perfume and Lego, and are covered in shiny holograms.
“No parent wants their child to smoke and there has been tremendous support for this from North East MPs. We are urging our MPs to do something amazing and once again vote in favour of this important measure.”
An amendment to the Children and Families Bill to enable standardised packaging was passed overwhelmingly in both the House of Lords in January 2014 and by MPs in the House of Commons in February 2014 (only 24 MPs voted against).
Paediatrician Sir Cyril Chantler was commissioned by the Government to conduct an independent review into the public health impact of standardised packaging.
The Chantler Review reported on 3rd April 2014. Sir Cyril concluded that: “…there is enough evidence to say that standardised packaging is very likely to contribute to a modest but important reduction in smoking… Given the dangers of smoking, the suffering that it causes, the highly addictive nature of nicotine, the fact that most smokers become addicted when they are children or young adults and the overall cost to society, the importance of such a reduction should not be underestimated.” Jane Ellison MP, Minister for Public Health said “In the light of the report and the responses to the previous consultation in 2012, I am minded to proceed with introducing regulations to provide for standardised packaging”.