Teh One Who Knocks
05-20-2016, 11:29 AM
By Vickiie Oliphant - The Express
http://i.imgur.com/U7skunv.jpg
NEW smoking laws that have come into force today have sparked anger among smokers and vapers across Britain.
The controversial change will affect not just cigarettes, but also hand-rolling tobacco and e-cigarettes manufactured for sale in the UK.
Trademark packaging will be replaced with a uniform olive green wrapper, while flavour tobacco and menthol cigarettes will disappear off shelves under the new law.
The rules, being enforced under the Tobacco and Regulated Products Regulations 2016, are aimed at slashing the number of nicotine addicts by 2.4 million.
Currently there are 10 million smokers in the UK and a further 2.6 million are puffing on e-cigarettes, according to Action on Smoking and Health (ASH).
http://i.imgur.com/rLBawag.jpg
Now all products will have to comply with the new regulations but there will be a one-year transitional period while old stock is sold off.
In a bid to discourage smokers from being attracted to pretty packaging, all cigarette boxes and rolling pouches will be standardised.
All packets will have the same olive-green colour, opening and font styles, leaving shoppers unable to spot a pack of Pall Mall from Marlboro.
"Lipstick-style” packs aimed at women, such as Vogue cigarettes, will also be outlawed.
The new rules also mean at least 65 per cent of the packaging on show must be covered with public health warnings, and a ban on promotional statements such as “this product is free of additives” or ”is less harmful than other brands” is being enforced.
http://i.imgur.com/yVofLc9.jpg
The law hopes to discourage smokers from being attracted to pretty packaging
Smaller packs of 10 cigarettes and small bags of rolling tobacco will disappear, while Menthol and flavoured tobacco will become completely illegal by May 20, 2020.
Other flavours which will become extinct in the next four years include fruit, spice, herbs, alcohol, candy or vanilla.
The laws have also introduced a limit on the amount and strength of liquid allowed in e-cigarettes and herbal products.
But smokers have been up in arms at the controversial changes, with some claiming the ban on 10-packs will encourage people to smoke more, not less.
James Alexander tweeted: "New #smoking law getting rid of 10 packs surely encourages people to smoke more if they choose to?"
Corey Evens added: "Can someone please explain how the new smoking law being brought in Friday is going to benefit anyone?"
One Twitter user commented: "The government 'hates' us smokers but would be absolutely f****** broke without the tobacco industry. Hypocrites."
Another said: "The Latest Tobacco Laws Show The Nanny State Has Gone Too Far" (sic).
Tobacco companies are also understandably against the new laws.
Philip Morris International, British American Tobacco, Imperial Tobacco and Japan Tobacco International challenged the legality of the new 'standardised packaging' regulations.
While Ben Townsend, Japan Tobacco International's EU Affairs Vice-President, said: "This is an attack on adult consumers' freedom of choice and yet another example of extreme regulation."
But not everyone is against the move.
Twitter user Will said: "I was against Englands new smoking law that's coming next month at first, but reading up more on it I actually think its a good thing to do."
One user added: "May help a bit ugly packaging who knows, why do young people start?"
A Department of Health spokesman said: "Smoking is the biggest cause of premature mortality and kills over 100,000 people every year in the UK.
"We warmly welcome the judgment that the Tobacco Products Directive is valid and will press ahead with the important public health measures set out in it which are aimed at discouraging children from smoking and helping smokers to quit.
"The new requirements for tobacco products, e-cigarettes and herbal products will come into force on May 20 and are expected to result in £13 billion in health benefits in the UK alone."
http://i.imgur.com/U7skunv.jpg
NEW smoking laws that have come into force today have sparked anger among smokers and vapers across Britain.
The controversial change will affect not just cigarettes, but also hand-rolling tobacco and e-cigarettes manufactured for sale in the UK.
Trademark packaging will be replaced with a uniform olive green wrapper, while flavour tobacco and menthol cigarettes will disappear off shelves under the new law.
The rules, being enforced under the Tobacco and Regulated Products Regulations 2016, are aimed at slashing the number of nicotine addicts by 2.4 million.
Currently there are 10 million smokers in the UK and a further 2.6 million are puffing on e-cigarettes, according to Action on Smoking and Health (ASH).
http://i.imgur.com/rLBawag.jpg
Now all products will have to comply with the new regulations but there will be a one-year transitional period while old stock is sold off.
In a bid to discourage smokers from being attracted to pretty packaging, all cigarette boxes and rolling pouches will be standardised.
All packets will have the same olive-green colour, opening and font styles, leaving shoppers unable to spot a pack of Pall Mall from Marlboro.
"Lipstick-style” packs aimed at women, such as Vogue cigarettes, will also be outlawed.
The new rules also mean at least 65 per cent of the packaging on show must be covered with public health warnings, and a ban on promotional statements such as “this product is free of additives” or ”is less harmful than other brands” is being enforced.
http://i.imgur.com/yVofLc9.jpg
The law hopes to discourage smokers from being attracted to pretty packaging
Smaller packs of 10 cigarettes and small bags of rolling tobacco will disappear, while Menthol and flavoured tobacco will become completely illegal by May 20, 2020.
Other flavours which will become extinct in the next four years include fruit, spice, herbs, alcohol, candy or vanilla.
The laws have also introduced a limit on the amount and strength of liquid allowed in e-cigarettes and herbal products.
But smokers have been up in arms at the controversial changes, with some claiming the ban on 10-packs will encourage people to smoke more, not less.
James Alexander tweeted: "New #smoking law getting rid of 10 packs surely encourages people to smoke more if they choose to?"
Corey Evens added: "Can someone please explain how the new smoking law being brought in Friday is going to benefit anyone?"
One Twitter user commented: "The government 'hates' us smokers but would be absolutely f****** broke without the tobacco industry. Hypocrites."
Another said: "The Latest Tobacco Laws Show The Nanny State Has Gone Too Far" (sic).
Tobacco companies are also understandably against the new laws.
Philip Morris International, British American Tobacco, Imperial Tobacco and Japan Tobacco International challenged the legality of the new 'standardised packaging' regulations.
While Ben Townsend, Japan Tobacco International's EU Affairs Vice-President, said: "This is an attack on adult consumers' freedom of choice and yet another example of extreme regulation."
But not everyone is against the move.
Twitter user Will said: "I was against Englands new smoking law that's coming next month at first, but reading up more on it I actually think its a good thing to do."
One user added: "May help a bit ugly packaging who knows, why do young people start?"
A Department of Health spokesman said: "Smoking is the biggest cause of premature mortality and kills over 100,000 people every year in the UK.
"We warmly welcome the judgment that the Tobacco Products Directive is valid and will press ahead with the important public health measures set out in it which are aimed at discouraging children from smoking and helping smokers to quit.
"The new requirements for tobacco products, e-cigarettes and herbal products will come into force on May 20 and are expected to result in £13 billion in health benefits in the UK alone."