Wirral MEP fuming over EU menthol cigarettes ban (From Wirral Globe)
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Wirral MEP fuming over EU menthol cigarettes ban
12:15pm Thursday 20th December 2012 in News
Wirral MEP fuming over EU menthol cigarettes ban
Plans to ban menthol cigarettes and require anti-smoking warnings to cover 75% of cigarette packets have been criticised by Wirral MEP Paul Nuttall.
Draft EU legislation over cigarette packet branding will enable member states, including Britain, to go even further and also impose plain packaging, completely removing branding.
The idea is to make smoking less attractive to children, who are more likely to buy smaller packets of cigarettes with their pocket money. Youngsters are also more likely to buy flavoured cigarettes such as menthol and strawberry.
The Department of Health in London said ministers were considering the proposals, which will have to be agreed by all Europe’s health ministers before they can go ahead.
The EU wants the new rules to come into force across the continent by 2016.
But UKIP deputy leader Mr Nuttall said: "Those who think it will deter smokers need to think again.
"Research shows that ironically plain packaging is more likely to lead to more tobacco consumption.
"Removing brand imagery leads consumers to shift their preferences away from premium brands towards cheaper alternatives which would make cigarettes more affordable and consumption would rise.
Mr Nuttall continued: "Also plain packaging will be easier to counterfeit and so the black market will increase.
"Menthol cigarette flavouring is lined up to be prohibited and a 'de facto' ban on electronic cigarettes is proposed. They will have to be authorised as 'medicinal products'.
''I find this particularly crazy as e-cigarettes are healthier alternatives to smoking. And, as I have previously said, the European Commission will not stop here, next it will be alcohol and foods."
Comments(7)
Jack Boot
says...
5:25pm Thu 20 Dec 12
Positive thinker
says...
6:05pm Thu 20 Dec 12
David Scott
says...
9:35pm Thu 20 Dec 12
Massive things the EU has messed up for us include an energy policy which means UK heavy industriy being closed down and ever-steeper energy bills, loss of our fishing grounds, and an open door next year to unlimited immigration from Bulgaria and Romania
red devil
says...
10:27pm Thu 20 Dec 12
Wait till they try and ban sex or are we waiting for others to do that to us all?
Dantealighieri
says...
2:31pm Fri 21 Dec 12
LocaLGovwatcher
says...
12:10pm Sat 22 Dec 12
Dantealighieri wrote:Well said.
It's always nice to hear from Mr.Nuttall and UKIP. Minor issue or not, it does give one a chance, especially in these hard times, to remind people that the UK also hands over £50 million a day to the EU. Perhaps one may have struggled over the WBC questionnaire on cuts; job losses, services, libraries ,parks, pot holes, disabled, maintenance, TRFC sponsorship, mmm, not easy. Still, something to discuss in the food bank queue, along with fuel poverty, austerity, mass immigration, shortage of housing, and the rest. Never mind though, plenty of festive cheer for the MEP's, the Commission, the Bureaucrats,. No austerity, no cut backs there. Plenty of smoked salmon, champagne, finest wines, only the very best. And why not, they work so hard for their salaries, their expenses, their pensions. It cannot be easy discussing cigarette packet branding. Of course your £50 million a day is not just spent on jollies, the EU is also renowned for fraud, waste, and its year on year lack of financial accountability. Still never mind, I wouldn't imagine for one millisecond that such things tax the mind of the majority of Wirral voters. After all they are the ones that are so politically dense that, despite alternatives, they keep on electing year after year the same combination of useless muppets to run the council, then spend year after year whinging about the mess they make.
bigfoot says...
12:42pm Thu 20 Dec 12