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Ireland to become second country in the world to introduce plain pack cigarettes
Minister Reilly with examples of the new packaging
The theme of World No Tobacco Day, on Friday May 31 is “Ban tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship”. Cigarette packets will no longer be a mobile advertisement for the tobacco industry. Research has shown that packaging has been used effectively to reassure consumers about the risks of smoking.
It is with great pleasure that I announce, ahead of World No Tobacco Day that I will begin the process of introducing standardised/plain packaging of tobacco products in Ireland. I am confident that this legislation will be justified and supported purely by the fact that it will save lives
...stated Minister Reilly today.
Smoking places an enormous burden of illness and mortality on our society with over 5,200 people dying every year from tobacco related diseases – one in two of all smokers will die from their addiction. “The introduction of standardised packaging will remove the final way for tobacco companies to promote their deadly product in Ireland.
...said the Minister.
Standardised packaging of tobacco products will remove all form of branding – trademarks, logos, colours and graphics. The brand name would be presented in a uniform typeface for all brands and the packs would all be in one plain neutral colour.
Minister Reilly concluded saying:
Plain packaging is one of a number of measures that are required to effectively denormalise smoking in our society. As such this initiative should not be looked at in isolation. Education and awareness, cessation services and extending the smoking ban to other areas are just some of the other measures which I am currently progressing.
Read the full press release
here.