Legislating on plain packaging of tobacco is a slippery slope
6 March 2013
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IEA responds to government decision to legislate for plain packaging of tobacco
Commenting on reports that the government has decided to legislate for the plain packaging of tobacco products, Christopher Snowdon, from the Institute of Economic Affairs, said:
“It’s hard to believe that the government would ignore the responses to the public consultation which were two to one against plain packaging. Around 500,000 members of the public, as well as numerous serving police officers, members of parliament, trade associations, intellectual property experts and trade unions have expressed serious concerns about this measure. Surely a Prime Minister who promised us in 2008 that the ‘era of big, bossy, state interference, top-down lever pulling is coming to an end’ will ultimately reject this idea.
“It is only a few days since various medical groups demanded that the government mandates cigarette-style graphic health warnings on wine bottles, so we are acutely aware of the ‘slippery slope’ that is likely to follow plain packaging of tobacco. As the government must surely know, undermining competition and intellectual property rights puts it in murky waters. Even New Zealand is waiting to see how the various legal issues are being resolved in Australia.”
Notes to editors
To arrange an interview with an IEA spokesperson, please contact Stephanie Lis, Communications Officer: 0207 799 8900 or 07766 221 268.
The mission of the Institute of Economic Affairs is to improve understanding of the fundamental institutions of a free society by analysing and expounding the role of markets in solving economic and social problems.
The IEA is a registered educational charity and independent of all political parties.
“It’s hard to believe that the government would ignore the responses to the public consultation which were two to one against plain packaging. Around 500,000 members of the public, as well as numerous serving police officers, members of parliament, trade associations, intellectual property experts and trade unions have expressed serious concerns about this measure. Surely a Prime Minister who promised us in 2008 that the ‘era of big, bossy, state interference, top-down lever pulling is coming to an end’ will ultimately reject this idea.
“It is only a few days since various medical groups demanded that the government mandates cigarette-style graphic health warnings on wine bottles, so we are acutely aware of the ‘slippery slope’ that is likely to follow plain packaging of tobacco. As the government must surely know, undermining competition and intellectual property rights puts it in murky waters. Even New Zealand is waiting to see how the various legal issues are being resolved in Australia.”
Notes to editors
To arrange an interview with an IEA spokesperson, please contact Stephanie Lis, Communications Officer: 0207 799 8900 or 07766 221 268.
The mission of the Institute of Economic Affairs is to improve understanding of the fundamental institutions of a free society by analysing and expounding the role of markets in solving economic and social problems.
The IEA is a registered educational charity and independent of all political parties.
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