Sir, – Earlier this week, two tobacco companies wrote to the members of the Oireachtas Select Committee on Health, asking them to consider the position of the tobacco industry when discussing the Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill.
One part of the Bill deals with the plain packaging of tobacco. The tobacco companies asked members to consider amending the Bill on two issues to reflect the industry’s concerns. This is despite the interests of the industry being totally at odds with public health legislation and the work of the committee.
The first issue raised with TDs relates to extending the “wash-out” period of the existing attractively designed packs from the current date of May 2017 to at least 12 months following the commencement of the legislation. The Irish Cancer Society has written to members of the select committee urging them to remain committed to the May 2017 date.
The people most at risk from being influenced by tobacco marketing are our children. We cannot give the tobacco industry any opportunity to extend the period they can manipulate them with attractive packaging and branding.
The second issue raised by the tobacco industry refers to the ink colour used on cigarette packets, asking that the ink colour be changed from grey to black. On this issue, it is essential that we are guided by the Department of Health’s Tobacco Control Unit and best practice internationally.
The correspondence from the tobacco industry should be seen as tactics to disrupt a piece of legislation from which we will almost immediately see the public health benefits. – Yours, etc,
DONAL BUGGY,
Head of Services
and Advocacy,
Irish Cancer Society,
Northumberland Road,
Ballsbridge, Dublin 4.