UK: Anti-plain Tobacco Pack Lobby Targets MPs

Source from:  The Grocer (uk)  02/18/2013

Opponents to plain packaging for tobacco say they are confident the government will decide against the measure - but that they will continue to lobby hard to ensure MPs are on board.

The government is set to reveal the long-awaited results of its consultation on standardising tobacco packaging in the next few weeks.

Smokers group Forest, which is behind the Hands Off Our Packs campaign, is urging the public to contact their local MPs to highlight the level of opposition.

"We're confident that the Department of Health will make the right decision but want to make sure MPs put pressure on them as well," said Forest campaign manager Angela Harbutt.

"There's absolutely no evidence that plain packaging would make any difference to the uptake of  smoking or help those smoking to stop."

Last week, Ian Paisley, MP for the constituency of North Antrim in Northern Ireland, home to a JTI factory, delivered a letter signed by 73 MPs to health secretary Jeremy Hunt urging him not to sanction the introduction of plain packaging. Enditem