Ireland: Retailers Say Anti-tobacco Laws Won''t Cut Smoking

Source from:  The Daily Business Post  01/17/2013

Irish retailers have warned that strict new anti-tobacco laws proposed by the European Union will lead to increased smuggling and will fail to curb smoking.

Health Minister James Reilly today concluded a consultation period about the new laws which would ban the sale of flavoured cigarettes, roll-your-own tobacco and smokeless tobacco products (such as menthol) and make mandatory the use of large pictorial health warnings on cigarette packets.

Vincent Jennings, CEO of the Convenience Store and Newsagents Association said: "The intention of these laws might be to reduce smoking levels but all the previous initiatives have achieved has been to transfer business from legitimate law-abiding and tax-paying shops to criminals and paramilitary gangs," he said.

Another newsagents' trade body, NFRN Ireland, also said the proposals "will merely lead to increased smuggling and gift market share to the illicit trade from legitimate, licensed retailers".

NFRN Ireland President, Joe Sweeney, said: "Not only will these proposals fail to reduce levels of smokers, but the loss of trade to the legitimate sector will lead to job losses in a climate where independent retailers are already struggling to survive. Enditem