France Moves to Ban e-Cigarettes from Public Places

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Health ministry due to unveil tough anti-smoking rules that could ban e-cigarettes and impose 'neutral' packets without logos

France could ban e-cigarettes in public places and force tobacco companies to remove logos and colours from packaging under tough new legislation due to be unveiled in June.

The measures are reportedly among several being considered by Marisol Touraine, the French health minister, and which will be outlined on June 17.

They could see all company branding and colour banned from cigarette packs dubbed “neutral”, in legislation similar to a landmark 2012 Australian rule.

A maximum of 65 percent of the package could be covered with written or visual anti-smoking messages, which would be a 25 percent increase over the current 40 percent limit, French daily Le Figaro reported.

It is hoped that by removing recognisable symbols, such as the bright red of Malboro packages, younger people will find the whole idea of smoking less appealing. » | Henry Samuel, Paris | Friday, May 30, 2014

Cigarettes to Be Sold in Plain Packaging after a U-turn by David Cameron

THE INDEPENDENT: The Government is to press ahead with plans to force tobacco firms to sell cigarettes in plain packaging.

The policy – designed to make smoking less appealing to young people — appeared to have been put on hold four months ago.

But government sources indicated tonight that ministers had decided to implement the scheme after an outcry from doctors and the Opposition.

The apparent U-turn – reversing one in July when David Cameron shelved the idea — is expected to be announced in the next few days.

The Times newspaper said it understood the Government will set up a review of a similar move in Australia and that its findings were expected to back plain packaging. At the same time, the Government will introduce enabling legislation so that the packaging can be changed quickly, possibly before the 2015 election. Read on and comment » | Nigel Morris, Ian Johnston | Deputy Political Editor | Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Australia's New Plain Packaging 'Makes Cigarettes Taste Worse'
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Australia's new plain packaging for cigarettes – which becomes mandatory from Saturday - have been branded "disgusting" by smokers who say they make the cigarettes taste worse.

The new packets, which are blank aside from gruesome health warnings, have been filling shelves for the past two months as part of the toughest anti-tobacco measures in the world.

Despite legal battles and claims of "dirty tricks" by tobacco companies, all cigarettes in Australia must now be sold in drab olive packets featuring macabre images of sick babies, dying cancer sufferers and diseased feet, eyeballs and lungs. Smokers' advice groups have reported being inundated with calls from angry smokers who say their cigarettes now taste "pathetic" and "sickening".

Joe Xia, who owns a busy convenience store just outside Sydney's Chinatown, said the packets are "disgusting" and have been annoying customers who dislike the new warnings.

"People still smoke – now they also complain," he told the Daily Telegraph.

"Nothing will stop them from smoking. But it is hard at night-time. People come from the pub and they see these packets and they get irritated." » | Jonathan Pearlman, Sydney | Friday, November 30, 2012

Tobacco Packaging: Cigarette Companies Lose Australian Court Case

THE GUARDIAN: Victory for government will force manufacturers to remove branding and sell tobacco products in generic green packets

Australia's highest court has endorsed cigarette plain-packaging laws that will force tobacco companies to remove branding from their products.

Tobacco companies British American Tobacco, Britain's Imperial Tobacco, Philip Morris and Japan Tobacco challenged the laws in Australia's high court, claiming the rules were unconstitutional because they effectively extinguished the companies' intellectual property rights.

The court found Australia's laws to force companies to remove all branding and sell tobacco only in generic olive green packets, which also carry graphic health warnings, were legal and did not breach trademark rights.

The laws, the toughest in the world, are in line with World Health Organisation recommendations and are being watched closely by Britain, Norway, New Zealand, Canada and India, which are considering similar measures. » | Reuters in Canberra | Wednesday, August 15, 2012

US Free Market Group Tries to Halt Sales of Cigarettes in Plain Packets in UK

THE OBSERVER: Alec, organisation that funds Tea Party members, moves to derail UK government's proposals

A powerful US lobbying group that bankrolls climate change sceptics and leading members of the Tea Party is mobilising British opposition against plans to sell cigarettes in plain packs.

As the UK government considers the proposals, it has emerged the American Legislative Exchange Council (Alec), an organisation sponsored by big tobacco and other corporate interests, is playing a key role in trying to scupper them.

Supporters of the plans say they will deter young people from smoking. But opponents say there is little evidence this is the case and warn that generic packs will encourage counterfeiting.

Alec, which is heavily supported by Charles and David Koch, the billionaire oil baron brothers, has launched a sophisticated global lobbying campaign against the plan.

Alec, which proclaims its "belief in the power of free markets and limited government to propel economic growth", has warned countries looking to impose plain packaging that they will be violating intellectual property provisions laid down by the World Trade Organisation, opening themselves to legal challenges.

It is targeting the UK, where the government has recently pushed the deadline for its consultation on plain packaging back by a month until the end of August as lobby groups on both sides of the debate make their submissions. » | Jamie Doward | Sunday, July 15, 2012

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