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Blackpool Health Committee
5th July 2012
Consultation on Standardised Packaging of Tobacco Products
Smoking is still the greatest single cause of preventable illness and premature death in England
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10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
70,000
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90,000
Number of Deaths (Thousands)
Drug-relateddeaths
Diabetes Otheraccidents/falls
Road traff icaccidents
Alcohol-relateddeaths
Suicide Smoking-attributabledeaths
Comparison of preventable deaths within England
Background
• Smoking prevalence is higher in more deprived and certain population groups and contributes to health inequalities
• Plain or standardised packaging is recommended by the World Health Organisation as part of a comprehensive tobacco control Strategy
• Packaging and cigarettes themselves one of few remaining advertising routes for tobacco companies
• The Government’s Tobacco Plan 2011 includes commitment to “consult on options to reduce the promotional impact of tobacco packaging, including plain packaging”.
Why this issue matters in Blackpool
• Approximately 38,000 (27.5%) of the adult population smoke in Blackpool
• More pregnant women in Blackpool smoke than anywhere else in the country
• Around 400 people die prematurely every year in Blackpool and a further 8000 will suffer from a smoking related disease
• 200,0000 children and young people in England start smoking every year
Examples of existing packaging
What is standardised packaging?
All cigarettes would have to be sold in:
•Plain coloured packs;
• No trademarks, logos colour schemes and graphics;
• Product and brand name written in standard type face;
• Health warnings on all packs;
• Tar, nicotine and carbon monoxide yields;
• Bar codes for stock control;
• Invisible markings to prevent fraud.
Aim of plain, standardised packaging
To discourage children from smoking by:
• Making tobacco packaging look less attractive • Increasing the effectiveness of health warnings • Preventing the use of misleading and deceptive colours to
create false beliefs of different strength and quality • Removing the positive association with cigarette brands and
image
Based on peer reviewed evidence
What the evidence tells us
Evidence suggest that plain packaging is likely to be effective in:
• discouraging children from starting to smoke in the first place• encouraging smokers to quit• preventing relapse among those who have done so
As Cancer Research UK puts it:
“Plain packs won’t stop everyone from smoking, but they will give millions of children one less reason to start.”
Emphasis on Children
• Smokers start as children and continue as adults: two thirds of smokers start before they are 18
• Every year 340,000 children in the UK are tempted to try smoking
• Research has shown that they are more likely to be attracted by designed tobacco packs, than by plain packs
• Impact of plain packaging on retailers likely to be very gradual as fewer young people start to smoke
Some myths about Plain Packaging
“It won’t work”
“Tobacco smuggling will increase”
“Plain packs will cause confusion for retailers”
“There’s no public support for plain packaging”
“It will breach international trade laws”
“Tobacco will be out of sight so we don’t need plain packs”
“Tobacco today, alcohol and unhealthy food tomorrow?”
How can the Committee HelpRespond to consultation • Visiting the Department of Health website and completing the online form at http://consultations.dh.gov.uk
• Filling in the response forms by downloading it at http://consultations.dh.gov.uk
• Emailing your response to:[email protected]
• Posting your response to:
Tobacco Packs Consultation Department of Health7TH FloorWellington House133- 155 Waterloo House LondonSE1 8UG
By 10 July 2012
Thank you
For more information please contact:
Tracey Englishby
Stop Smoking Coordinator
Telephone - 01253 651692
Jane Roberts
Tobacco Control Commissioner
Telephone - 01253 651571
