Hungary to Create further Measures to Combat Tobacco Firms

Source from:  portfolio.hu 07/23/2015

Ten states, including Hungary, have agreed in Paris on Monday to play an active role in promoting the use of brand-neutral, plain cigarette packets, in an effort to curb smoking, especially among young people and women.

Hungary to have plain cigarette packets already in May 2016

The initiative by France's Health Minister Marisol Touraine was signed by Australia, France, Great Britain, Hungary, Ireland, New Zealand, Norway, the South African Republic, Sweden and Uruguay.

"The aim that we are pursuing along with some other countries at an international level is a world without tobacco and France's wish is that the generation being born today will be a generation without tobacco," Touraine said before the meeting.

"They have all undertaking to take part in promoting plain cigarette packets," she added. Some countries have already adopted the relevant legislation or are in the process of doing so, whereas others are partaking in the initiative without obliging themselves officially.

A bill to introduce packaging with no logos and of identical colour, size and typography was passed by the lower house of the French parliament in April. Apart from a mention of the manufacturer's name in small letters the packets would be entirely identical, flashing pictures and text warning of the damages smoking can cause. Australia was the first to pass a plain-packet law in 2012 and Ireland and the UK have followed suit this year.

The French initiative is backed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FTCT).

Tobacconists in the south of France covered speed cameras with black plastic rubbish bags over the weekend in protest at France's new bill.

Responding to criticism by tobacconists and concerns that the measure would encourage smuggling Touraine underlined that tobacco-related diseased kill 78,000 people a year in France and are expected to kill eight million a year around the world in 2030 if nothing is done to prevent it.

Hungary was represented at the meeting by Balázs Sonkodi, state secretary at the Prime Minister's Office responsible for strategic issues, and Attila Beneda, deputy state secretary in charge of health policy at the Ministry of Health.

Sonkodi told state newswire MTI that he presented at the meeting all the measures Hungary had implemented over the last five years to curb smoking. He mentioned the Tobacco Shop Act (which in practice meant the nationalisation of tobacco retailing), and the banning of smoking in work places, restaurants, public transportation stops and playgrounds and their immediate vicinity.

Sonkodi asked the other representatives to support Hungary in its battles induced by recently passed legislation, such as the one Hungary is currently fighting against the European Commission over a special health contribution levied on tobacco manufacturers. Enditem