Australia, UK: JTI Renews Fight against Plain Tobacco Packs with Latest Ad

Source from:  The Grocer (uk)  04/09/2013

Japan Tobacco International (JTI) has today launched the third phase of its advertising campaign against plain tobacco packaging.

The Silk Cut and Benson and Hedges-owner has taken out adverts in national newspaper and magazine titles featuring a letter from the Department of Health from 2011 that spells out "there isn't any evidence to show that it works".

The correspondence, which JTI obtained through a freedom of information request, was sent from the department's Tobacco Policy team to the Australian government, which introduced plain tobacco packaging in December 2012.

The letter requests that Australia share any cost analysis or impact analysis that it conducted as part of its research.

"We are using this media campaign to demonstrate that in 2011 even the Department of Health accepted that these proposals are not supported by any hard evidence," said JTI UK managing director Jorge da Motta.

"We have always argued that plain packaging will not prevent children from smoking, but enforcing existing initiatives such as 'No ID, No Sale', punishing those who buy tobacco on the behalf of children, and cutting the illegal supply chain can work."

A spokeswoman for the Department of Health said: "This correspondence is nearly two years old. Research and evidence have developed since then and continue to emerge.

"The government has an open mind on this issue and any decisions to take further action will be taken only after full consideration of the consultation responses, evidence and other relevant information." Enditem