Sir, – Tobacco smoking remains the leading preventable cause of death and disease in Ireland. The intensity of opposition to plain packaging and graphic health warnings, exemplified by Patrick Basham’s article (“Terror campaign directed at smoking applies a faulty logic”, Opinion & Analysis, July 20th), suggests that “Big Tobacco” fears such measures will definitely reduce sales and hit their profits.
Unless dead smokers are constantly replaced by new adolescent addicts, the habit will die out. Minister for Health James Reilly deserves the fullest support in his efforts to reduce disease, death and disability by introducing plain packaging of tobacco products. – Yours, etc,
Dr JOHN DOHERTY,
Cnoc an Stollaire,
Gaoth Dobhair,
Co Donegal.
Sir, – Patrick Basham wrote an interesting opinion piece on the ineffectiveness of graphic images on cigarette boxes. Minister for Health Dr Reilly may think that introducing plain cigarette packaging next year in Ireland will provide more space for these images but it will also offer a further, major incentive to the criminals and paramilitaries already flooding the Irish market with illicit tobacco. Earlier this month, British prime minister David Cameron announced that he is to postpone indefinitely any proposal to introduce plain packaging for tobacco products in England and Wales because of the impact it would have on driving up the illegal trade.
Plain packaging means products will be easier to fake, and retailers will be further squeezed by the counterfeiters and smugglers. Evidence and surveys show that between a quarter and a third of cigarettes smoked in Ireland are now illegally sourced.
The National Federation of Retail Newsagents Ireland fully supports the Government in taking effective measures to curtail smoking but tokenistic, feel-good nonsense such as Mr Reilly’s plain packaging scheme will make no difference, as the Australian experience has shown. – Yours, etc,
JOE SWEENEY,
President,
National Federation
of Retail Newsagents
Ireland,
Greenmount Office Park,
Harold’s Cross,
Dublin 6.
Sir, – I suggest smokers who prefer not to dwell on the packaging featuring horrific illustrations of the effects of their habit equip themselves with elegant silver or decorative cigarette cases instead. They would certainly project a far more stylish image for smoking. Our beleaguered antique dealers would certainly provide for the more discerning customers; the rest could continue to recycle old Golden Virginia tins.
Quite why there is such a fascination for walking about flashing the brands of everything we eat, drink, wear and otherwise consume is mystifying.
It is high time we brought such commercialism to a halt. – Yours, etc,
MICHAEL ANDERSON,
Moyclare Close,
Baldoyle,
Dublin 13.