UK: Welsh Anti-tobacco Group Has Urged the Government to Go Ahead with Plain Cigarette Packaging  

Source from:  This is South Wales (uk) (Evening Post)  07/16/2013

A WELSH-BASED anti- tobacco group has urged the Government not to cave into pressure and make sure it rolls out standard packets of cigarettes.

Bosses at ASH Wales have made the call ahead of tomorrow's Queen speech amid fears the Westminster Government has backed down over the plan for plain packaging.

It is understood the plan has now been put on hold and won't feature.

Elen de Lacy, chief executive of ASH Wales, said it was vital to go ahead with the move and added: "If the coalition Government backs away from standard packaging then the UK has lost a vital opportunity to end tobacco marketing aimed at our young people.

"There is plenty of evidence that glossy cigarette packaging has an influence on children and if the tobacco companies don't think so, why do they spend millions of pounds on this sort of marketing every year.

"Standard packs have been successfully introduced in Australia and will be soon in New Zealand as well as Ireland. It will be a sad indictment if the UK decides to side with the tobacco industry and fails to introduce this progressive step in the Queen's speech on May 8." Enditem