The British Government is reported to be deliberating a total ban on displaying brand names and placing of logos on packets of cigarettes, as a portion of their proposition to dramatically reduce the number of people who smoke tobacco products across the United Kingdom.
Suggested restraints being considered by the Health Department in the UK would incorporate cigarettes being retailed only in plain, unbranded packaging, minimal pack sizes of 20 (in an endeavour to forestall younger people who possibly have only enough money to purchase packets of ten cigarettes at a time), together with a ban on the media advertisements of cigarette rolling papers.
The UK Department of Health have released a consultation document titled "The Future of Tobacco Control" as part of an attempt to bring down smoking numbers in adults together with trying to prevent adolescents from starting the smoking habit.
Government figures show that nearly 250,000 under adolescents adopt the smoking habit every year in the United Kingdom and they're three times more probable to suffer a premature death from cancer than an individual who begins smoking in their mid twenties
Public Health Minister, Dawn Primarolo has been quoted as saying "Protecting children from smoking is a Government priority and taking away temptation is one way to do this"
"If banning brightly-colored packets, removing cigarettes from display and removing the cheap option of a pack of 10 helps save lives, then that is what we should do, but we want to hear everyone's views first."
Research conducted by the UK Department of Health has shown that children and more immature individuals are more responsive to the advertising campaigns of the tobacco manufacturing companies than grownups, and it is hoped that these most recent propositions will assist to dissuade adolescents from smoking
Simon Clark, the director of anti smoking pressure group "FOREST" is opposed to these most recent proposals from the government, foreseeing that the suggested steps may possibly only make smoking seem to represent a "more attractive habit" instead of putting them off. He carried on to state "Banning point of sale display will make smoking even more attractive to teenagers. Worse, it will drive many smokers towards cheaper counterfeit and smuggled cigarettes."
"Yet again freedom of choice and personal responsibility are being sacrificed by politicians who think they know best. What next? Are they going to ban the display of alcohol and confectionery?" he added.
Mr Clark said: "The best way to tackle youth smoking is through education and proper enforcement of the legal age limit"
The anti smoking pressure group Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) welcome the latest government propositions... Ash director Deborah Arnott stated: "Smoking is a habit which is passed down from generation to generation and this pattern can only be broken by fresh thinking and a comprehensive cross-government strategy."
