For Labour, shadow public health minister Luciana Berger demanded to know why the government was delaying the introduction of plain packaging “still further” having already held a consultation on the issue in 2012.
Opposition leader Ed Miliband added “The government should have introduced plain packaging earlier this year we want them to act swiftly, we want them to act now. We don’t need another review.
“Every major public health expert agrees this would help the battle against cancer, against young people taking up smoking.”
The government has never officially ruled out changes to cigarette packaging laws, but BBC political editor Nick Robinson said that private briefings from Downing Street had previously suggested the idea was “dead”.
He said ministers were likely to have been defeated on Lords amendments to the Children and Families Bill, which enjoyed cross party support, and would have given the government the power to regulate cigarette packaging.
Ms Ellison confirmed that the government would table its own amendment to the legislation, giving ministers the power to introduce regulations “quickly” when Sir Cyril’s review is complete in March 2014 if they decide to proceed with the policy.
‘Rise in counterfeiting’
She rejected suggestions the rethink had been prompted by fears of defeat in the Lords, saying “It’s a year this weekend since the legislation was introduced in Australia. It’s the right time to ask people to look at this.
“This is fundamentally about children’s health. Two thirds of people start smoking when they’re children and it’s one of the most important public health issues we face in this country.”
E-cigarettes: gateway or cure?
Spokane, washington tobacco stores find discounts for ryo & cigarettes
The ejuice/eliquid/esmoke that is used in E cigs/Personal Vaporizers/MODs is made with Propylene Glycol (PG), Vegetable Glycerin (VG), Nicotine, and flavoring. There is NO tobacco in the products at all. Some companies even offer a PG free ejuice. Not to mention that the ejuice comes in different levels of nicotine, you can even get ejuice nicotine free. To help smokers reduce the nicotine over is nothing in an ecig that is going to harm the “2nd hand or 3rd hand” person. And for the smoker themselves is is a healthier alternative to smoking. Most places already require you to be 18 years or older to get ecigs with proof of age. If they want to require that you have to be 18 years or older to buy them and need child proof lids, add warning labels about nicotine being addictive, by all means go for it. Banning them in public areas is nonsense. It is a great alternative for smokers, and is a GREAT way to help cut down if not stop smoking all together. My husband told me that as a teen it was easier for him to get pot than it was to get cigarettes. (How is pot ok now but ecigs are not? Wouldn’t going after pot vs ecigs make more since? Ecigs are not a mind altering drug the way pot is.) If media starts to glorify ecigs the way they did with cigarettes in movies and on TV in the 80s, yes more teens are more likely going to use it. But just because teens see adults using them doesn’t mean they will pick them up. I have never and will never start smoking cigarettes or ecigs, but I believe that ecigs are a great alternative for my husband to use to stop smoking.