British considering banning logos on cigarette packs, other measures..

June 16, 2008 - British Government's Dept of Health has released a consultation paper entitled, The Future of Tobacco Control to trigger a 12-week national debate. The proposals would ban cigarette companies from putting any kind of logo or branding onto their cigarette packets. Cigarette manufacturers would have to sell cigarettes in plain black-and-white boxes with nothing but health warnings written on them. The paper also suggests restricting the display of tobacco products in shops, possibly by requiring they are placed under the counter, banning cigarette vending machines and stopping the sale of cheaper packs of 10 cigarettes instead of the usual 20. Further, it suggests banning advertising of rolling papers and other smoking paraphernalia. Dawn Primarolo, the public health minister, said: "Protecting children from smoking is a government priority and taking away temptation is one way to do this. If banning brightly colored packets, removing cigarettes from display and removing the cheap option of a pack of 10 helps save lives, then that is what we should do—but we want to hear everyone's views first." Reference: Brits Propose Brand Ban, CSP Daily News, June 3, 2008.

Andre Calantzopoulos, CEO, Philip Morris International (PMI), tells us PMI strongly opposes generic packaging. (PMI presentation at JP Morgan Global Tobacco Conference, London,
6/27/2008). England, UK, United Kingdom