Tobacco laws: Bid to overturn packaging rules dismissed

[the game]

Uniform packaging rules for tobacco will be introduced on Friday after a legal challenge against the new law was dismissed by the High Court.
The case was brought by four of the world's biggest tobacco firms, Philip Morris International, British American Tobacco, Imperial Tobacco and Japan Tobacco International.
But Mr Justice Green dismissed all their grounds of challenge.
The government said it meant a generation would "grow up smoke-free".
Two of the companies have said they will appeal against the ruling.
Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt had contested the case, saying the regulations for standardised packaging were lawful.
Mr Justice Green, who heard the case in December, gave a 386-page, 1,000-paragraph written ruling.
In it he said: "The essence of the case is about whether it is lawful for states to prevent the tobacco industry from continuing to make profits by using their trade marks and other rights to further what the World Health Organisation describes as a health crisis of epidemic proportions and which imposes an immense clean-up cost on the public purse."
"In my judgment the regulations are valid and lawful in all respects."

New tobacco advertising rules
Following Thursday's ruling, all tobacco packaging in the UK must be uniformly olive green and with large images as health warnings
Hand-rolled tobacco must be in the same colour and contain minimum of 30g of tobacco
Separate EU law also being introduced on Friday
Under this law, packs of 10 cigarettes will be banned
Picture health warnings must cover 65% of the front and back of every packet of cigarettes, with additional warnings on the top
Menthol cigarettes and skinny "lipstick-style" cigarettes will be banned in the UK by 2020
Promotional statements, such as "this product is free of additives" or "is less harmful than other brands", are banned
New rules introduced on the amount and strength of liquid allowed in e-cigarettes and herbal products
Companies have a year to comply

The companies claimed the Standardised Packaging of Tobacco Products Regulations 2015 would destroy their valuable intellectual property rights and render products indistinguishable from each other.
Under the new regulations, all tobacco packaging must be uniformly olive green and with large images intended to act as health warnings.
The firms challenged the rules on a number of grounds, including a claim that the regulations violated a number of UK and EU laws, and that they were "disproportionate" and "must be quashed".
Following the High Court ruling, the UK is now introducing its regulations on Friday, regarding the design and colour of cigarette and tobacco packaging.
Separately, the EU's Tobacco Products Directive will also be introduced on Friday, setting out other rules such as banning packs of 10 cigarettes.
Earlier this month, the European Court of Justice ruled that the directive, which had been held up by legal challenges ever since it was adopted in 2014, was lawful.

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-36333450

[Deleted]

Couldn't really care honestly.... Sales are already plummeting

[Sarix]

You have to be a retard to smoke anyways

[Flatspriest]

I find it hilarious that the UK and EU governments do not seem to understand how much that tobacco products actually bring in with the taxation on them.

[Deleted]

I find it hilarious that the UK and EU governments do not seem to understand how much that tobacco products actually bring in with the taxation on them.

Does it outweigh how much smoking costs the NHS?

[Afrospinach]

I find it hilarious that the UK and EU governments do not seem to understand how much that tobacco products actually bring in with the taxation on them.

You seem to be assuming they tax them to make money.

It is a disincentive not a money making scheme.

Does it outweigh how much smoking costs the NHS?

AFAIK it does cover the health costs and more.

[nextormento]

Then: we only worry about the 3rd party smoker; if you want to do it on your own accord, you can.
Now: fuck smokers and their choice, let's be as obnoxious as possible so they learn. Also, think of the children.

If they cared one bit they'd consider smokers victims of addiction, and provide means to stop, plus accommodation. Like they do with heroin: giving them the space and the needles, so at least they can transition safely.
This witch hunt is both depressing and hilarious.

[Damajin]

I'm fine with this. Smoking is shit with zero redeeming qualities, let those who profit from it and those who do it go down in flames and hopefully in the case of those who do it be reborn much healthier and smoke free.

[Dug]

Then: we only worry about the 3rd party smoker; if you want to do it on your own accord, you can.
Now: fuck smokers and their choice, let's be as obnoxious as possible so they learn. Also, think of the children.

If they cared one bit they'd consider smokers victims of addiction, and provide means to stop, plus accommodation. Like they do with heroin: giving them the space and the needles, so at least they can transition safely.
This witch hunt is both depressing and hilarious.

Speaking as a smoker myself it is our choice but it does effect those around us. There's no such thing as second hand heroin

[the game]

Then: we only worry about the 3rd party smoker; if you want to do it on your own accord, you can.
Now: fuck smokers and their choice, let's be as obnoxious as possible so they learn. Also, think of the children.

If they cared one bit they'd consider smokers victims of addiction, and provide means to stop, plus accommodation. Like they do with heroin: giving them the space and the needles, so at least they can transition safely.
This witch hunt is both depressing and hilarious.

umm. They do have means to stop smoking...

[nextormento]

Speaking as a smoker myself it is our choice but it does effect those around us. There's no such thing as second hand heroin

Of course. And every measure should be put in place to not affect 2nd parties. But there's a bit of a difference between that and the current hysterical prosecution of the smoker heathens.

umm. They do have means to stop smoking...

provide
If they cared one bit

[the game]

Of course. And every measure should be put in place to not affect 2nd parties. But there's a bit of a difference between that and the current hysterical prosecution of the smoker heathens.


provide

Well lets see, off the top of my head. Vape pens, nicotine patches, nicotine gum, cold turkey, behavioral therapy, medicine, combination of all these.


edit: Also I believe there are now step down cigarettes.

[nextormento]

Well lets see, off the top of my head. Vape pens, nicotine patches, nicotine gum, cold turkey, behavioral therapy, medicine, combination of all these.

I'm suggesting that, if they cared for these folks, they'd put monetary resources into supplying them with such means. Not just expect them to convert just because you put scary pictures on packages.

- - - Updated - - -

To be perfectly cleat I'm not suggesting that they should care. It's up to society and the state to decide if they want to care for these folks. If they don't, that's ok with me. But just telling them how bad it is for them, and placing warnings and pictures, is not caring: it's simply pandering to the obnoxious folks that feel an unbearable need to hate smokers. It's unadulterated bullshit.

[the game]

I'm suggesting that, if they cared for these folks, they'd put monetary resources into supplying them with such means. Not just expect them to convert just because you put scary pictures on packages.

They put monetary resources into research and production of Vape pens, nicotine patches, nicotine gum, cold turkey, behavioral therapy, medicine, combination of all these.


Also I believe there are step down cigarettes now.


edit: also if I understand properly England has a national healthcare system. So if I understand that right then it doesn't cost the citizen anything to get treatment.

[Nachturnal]

just because you put scary pictures on packages.

I don't know... The data seems to show that the high taxation along with heavy anti-smoking advertisements, and even the packaging changes have drastically affected sales. It seems to be having quite a positive affect. I'll try to look up some of that data, but I'm in Starbucks so it's gonna be a while.

[Zan15]

and yet things that kill more people have no warnings what so ever....

[Kalis]

They put monetary resources into research and production of Vape pens, nicotine patches, nicotine gum, cold turkey, behavioral therapy, medicine, combination of all these.


Also I believe there are step down cigarettes now.


edit: also if I understand properly England has a national healthcare system. So if I understand that right then it doesn't cost the citizen anything to get treatment.

There is indeed lots of support from the NHS (National Health Service) for quitting smoking in the UK.

http://www.nhs.uk/smokefree/help-and...tion-medicines

[nextormento]

I don't know... The data seems to show that the high taxation along with heavy anti-smoking advertisements, and even the packaging changes have drastically affected sales. It seems to be having quite a positive affect. I'll try to look up some of that data, but I'm in Starbucks so it's gonna be a while.

Oh, it is going down. Fast. Though, I doubt we'll figure which piece worked. Smokers I know argue the price is just prohibitive. Those that quit earlier when they banned it in public spaces argue they were social smokers.

- - - Updated - - -

There is indeed lots of support from the NHS (National Health Service) for quitting smoking in the UK.

Fair.
Ours published a guide, an excel spreadsheet to keep track of how much one smokes, and some android app.

[thunterman]

umm. They do have means to stop smoking...

Which costs twice as much as smoking. I tried patches once, they are literally 4-5 times more expensive than buying pouches of tobacco. I tried vaping, but it's horrid. So I'm just slowly cutting down on cigarettes instead. When the quitting aid costs more than what it's there to prevent... seems a bit ass-backwards to me.

And no, I don't have the willpower to quit, I usually vomit after 24 hours.

[the game]

Which costs twice as much as smoking. I tried patches once, they are literally 4-5 times more expensive than buying pouches of tobacco. I tried vaping, but it's horrid. So I'm just slowly cutting down on cigarettes instead. When the quitting aids costs more than what they are trying to prevent seems a bit ass-backwards to me.

And no, I don't have the willpower to quit, I usually vomit after 24 hours.

England has a national healthcare system. It costs its citizens nothing to seek treatment.