It seems a health minister by the name of Anna Soubry has let the cat out of the bag about plain packaging of cigarettes being introduced this year. I find this indefensible, in that the consultation details have not been released yet. But it would seem that they don’t care.
Ministers are to introduce plain packaging for cigarettes along the Australian model with legislation this year, after becoming convinced that the branding is a key factor in why young people start to smoke.
The legislation, to be announced in the Queen's speech in May, is also expected to ban smoking in cars carrying anyone aged under 16 years. Ministers acknowledge that the ban is likely to be difficult for the police to enforce, but they believe peer group pressure will have an impact similar to the ban on drivers using mobile phones.
Here is Godfrey Bloom’s (MEP) thoughts on the subject.
We really are governed by a shower of wankers.
Here are DP’s thoughts
And Simon Clark’s.