ASH Scotland delight at plain packaging consultation

09 March 2011

ASH Scotland Chief Executive Sheila Duffy expressed both delight and disappointment at the announcement from UK Health Secretary of State Andrew Lansley today that the government will open a consultation on plain packaging of tobacco but that the retail tobacco display in England and Scotland (as announced by the Scottish Government) will be introduced at a later date than previously planned. Commenting Ms Duffy said:

 

“I wrote to Mr Lansley when he was appointed encouraging him to look at the evidence base for introducing plain packaging for tobacco brands – a reserved matter – and one the previous UK government was also committed to investigating. There is a growing body of evidence that if tobacco packets could only use plain packaging free of colour, decoration, and design, it would make health warning messages more prominent, reduce youth smoking and increase prevention, help increase the numbers of quitters, and reduce the continuing link between the false beliefs of different levels of health risks associated with different brands.

 

“Research shows that the tobacco industry is using the pack more aggressively and more effectively as a marketing tool to recruit smokers as other promotional avenues are closed. Tobacco companies are well aware of the power of the pack. Indeed, Jeremy Blackburn of Japan Tobacco International, which produces brands such as Silk Cut and Benson & Hedges has stated, “marketing restrictions make the pack the hero”. Australia plans to be the first country to introduce plain packaging and I hope now the UK will not be far behind.

 

“Smoking is still the biggest killer of Scots with a quarter of all adult deaths due to tobacco. We must do all we can to reduce the attractiveness of cigarettes and smoking to our young people and prevent them becoming addicted to a product that kills half its long term users. Plain packaging would reduce the use of the tobacco packet as a promotional tool.

 

“That is why it is disappointing that both the UK Coalition Government and Scottish Government will be delaying the introduction of a full retail tobacco display ban by 18 months to April 2015. Evidence from Ireland and Canada, which have introduced display bans show that display bans can reduce youth smoking. I believe this measure along with other policies being introduced can reduce the current number of 15,000 young people who take up smoking each year in Scotland.

 

“The UK Government is to be congratulated for introducing plans to reduce  smoking as part of a new tobacco control plan for England – parts of which will impact on Scotland as they are reserved matters. There is a continuing need for progressive tobacco control to tackle smoking which causes so much harm to public health. I hope the new Scottish Government following the elections in May will commit to developing a new comprehensive tobacco control strategy for Scotland.”