Reminder: Plain packaging consultation closes 10 July

The consultation is can be found here.

New video presentation below:



Please see Handsoffourpacks for latest campaign information.

Professional insight into plain packaging

Campaign against plain packaging Hands off our Packs reports opposition to the Plain Packs proposal from former head of the Patent Office Peter Lawrence, and from the chief of the British Brands Group.

But of course these are tobacco industry lackeys so no need to even read them! (actually, the Patents Office is not listed, but that's a forgiveable oversight, don't you think?)

Sandford on the back foot

Well worth a listen – very entertaining.



I especially enjoyed Amanda Sandford's claim, quickly rebutted by Chris Snowdon, that tobacco is unique and there was no suggestion that the idea of plain packaging would be applied to any other product. See final bullet point here – this consultation is current. In the twinkling of an eye Amanda Sandford proceeds from 'absolutely no evidence of a domino effect: tobacco is unique and there is no question of this policy being extended', to 'just because it's on the table doesn't mean it will become law'.

The discussion panel chews over the so-called 'independent academic review'. I'm asking my MP to raise this with the Department of Health.

European tobacco policy risks increasing illicit tobacco trade, says Transcrime

The story is here.

Full report downloadable from here and executive summary here.

The general public also opposed the proposals presented last year in the consultation to the Revision of Tobacco Products Directive 2001.

Several bloggers yesterday noted the levels of public funding going to promote plain packaging in the south-west region: Dick Puddlecote, Simon Clark, Patsy Nurse and Anna Raccoon for starters – and of course the Hands off our Packs campaign.

The conclusions of Transcrime were summarised in the Executive Summary as follows:

There is no reliable information which which to assess the introduction of maximum limits on ingredients.  The crime risks may vary from marginal to extremely significant depending on the extent and type of the limitations imposed. No [extended crime risk assessment] is currently possible. 

There is a high risk that generic packaging may favour the increased counterfeiting of tobacco products.

There is a medium risk that the implementation of the 'polluter pays' principle may cause the [illicit trade in tobacco products] to grow as a consequence of significant increases in the prices of tobacco products. 

There is a high risk that banning the display of products at points of sale may increase the [illicit trade in tobacco products] to grow because of difficulties in identifying legitimate products and retailers.

 I think that's fairly clear.