Campaigners Claim Victory Over "Big Tobacco"

Big tobacco has failed - that's the view of anti-smoking campaigners after MPs voted to introduce plain cigarette packaging.

MPs voted 3-1 in favour of making all products come in an olive green box with basic text and health warnings.

A quarter of all deaths in the Kingdom are related to smoking, according to figures. While 24 percent of deaths in the Kingdom are related to the habit.

ASH Scotland Chief Executive Sheila Duffy said: “With 367 MPs in favour and only 113 against, the decision marks a momentous success for those who have campaigned for this vital public health measure, which will cut the number of young people lured into addiction by flashy cigarette packs.

“It also underlines the dramatic failure of the tobacco industry’s long and costly bid to derail the introduction of plain packs through a strategy of misinformation, including alarmist claims the move would increase the amount of counterfeit tobacco and damage trade in shops.

“MPs must be congratulated for ignoring those bogus assertions and for instead listening to the wishes of the public, who are strongly in favour of standardised packaging.

“Two years ago, 74 MPs signed a letter opposing plain packs. Since then a huge amount of money and effort has been invested by the tobacco industry to convince more MPs to reject the measure. After all that work, using willing mouthpieces such as retail trade groups and Forest, fewer than 40 other MPs were swayed into voting against standardised packaging. “

"Despite that, we don’t expect Big Tobacco to back down. We will now see legal action from the cynical tobacco industry as it fights this new threat to its vast profits. But we don’t fear that. The latest legal opinion reassures us plain packaging won’t breach EU law.

“The Scottish Government must also be praised for leading the drive for standardised tobacco packaging, a firm commitment here since 2013. We will now see the regulations adopted in Scotland to protect our young people and strengthen our commitment to achieving a tobacco-free generation in 20 years’ time.”

Responding to the vote by MPs on plain tobacco packaging, Maureen Watt, Minister for Public Health, said: “I am delighted that, following calls from the Scottish Government, standardised tobacco packaging has been approved by MPs.

"We strongly support this measure, which we believe will greatly decrease the appeal of tobacco products, particularly to young people.

“The Scottish Parliament has already agreed that this legislation will apply in Scotland if approved at a UK level. “We want to create a tobacco-free generation in Scotland by 2034, and this is one of several measures that will help to turn that into a reality. We need bold steps if we are to bring about the complete culture change we need.

“Every year tobacco kills more than 13,000 people a year in Scotland, and costs our NHS around £500 million a year. By discouraging young people from taking up the habit in the first place we can start to reduce the cost this product inflicts on families and communities across Scotland.”