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Hands Off Our Packs is supported by adults from all walks of life. They include smokers and non-smokers who are sick of being patronised by the tobacco control industry.
Campaign Blog
Angela Harbutt: I don't want to say we told you so but ...
Government to consider plain packaging for ... alcohol!
Well, the cat is well and truly out of the bag. With the public consultation on the plain packaging of tobacco not yet underway, the Government is already considering plain packaging of alcohol.
In a statement released on Monday, the Government announced that the Commons Health Select Committee is to hold a consultation on the government's "alcohol strategy". Amongst the things they will look at is “Plain packaging and marketing bans”.
As Alex Massie (Spectator) wrote so succinctly yesterday:
The public health racket specialises in opening Overton Windows. This is another example of that. Today's absurdity is tomorrow's policy. Just considering plain packaging for booze - brown paper bags for one and all! - makes it more likely this will actually eventually happen. The inconceivable can become conceivable pretty damn quickly.
Now is not a time for us to say “WE TOLD YOU SO”.
Unless plain packaging for tobacco is stopped in its track the floodgates will be opened and it will be of little solace for us to remind consumers of our attempts to warn them that tobacco is only the beginning.
The campaign promoting the introduction plain packaging of tobacco has had the audacity to explicitly state that plain packaging for tobacco is not the thin end of the wedge and “will not therefore set a precedent for other consumer products”.
We invite them to withdraw their claims forthwith.
See also: Dick Puddlecote (Plain packaging for alcohol here we come)
Parliament.uk (Government's alcohol strategy)
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Our Supporters
Last year the Government held a public consultation on whether the UK should adopt standardised (or 'plain') packaging of tobacco products. Over 235,000 people signed the Hands Off Our Packs petition. In total, around 500,000 people signed petitions against plain packaging, compared with 210,000 who signed petitions in favour of the measure. The Department of Health is still reviewing the consultation responses so watch this space. If you would like to receive e-updates about our campaign please enter your details below and click the relevant boxes for Forest/Hands Off Our Packs. You can unsubscribe at any time.
