WASHINGTON -- Britain's House of Commons has overwhelmingly approved a law requiring plain packaging for tobacco products, just one day after Ireland's president signed into law the same measure.
If the House of Lord's also approves, as expected, the number of countries requiring plain packaging will have tripled in one week (Australia introduced the law in 2011). Scotland, France, Finland, Norway, Sweden and New Zealand, among others, are expected to follow suit, and the European Union as a whole is also considering the measure.
But could similar packaging be required here? Even one anti-tobacco group thinks the answer is no. Don't expect similar legislation in the United States any time soon, speculated Action on Smoking & Health (ASH), citing the failed U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) attempt to introduce graphic warnings in 2011, struck down after tobacco companies sued in federal court.
According to a Reuters report, the measure in Britain would likely crimp tobacco company profits. It emulates Australia, which in 2012 enacted a law forcing cigarettes to be sold in plain olive green packaging with images showing the damaging effects of smoking.
British lawmakers passed the legislation on Wednesday by a margin of 367 votes to 113, said the report.
The proposal must still be debated and passed by the upper house of parliament before becoming law.
Imperial Tobacco Group said that if the measure became law, the firm would be "left with no choice but to defend our legal rights in court."
The new rules would initially take effect in England only, though the Welsh government has said it will follow suit and Northern Ireland and Scotland are considering a similar step.
A YouGov opinion poll conducted in February, cited by Reuters, showed 72% of the British public supported plain packaging, with 15% objecting to such proposals.
Tobacco firms have fiercely resisted the legislation, saying plain-pack laws, which will also force product names to be printed in standardized fonts, infringe on intellectual property rights covering brands and will increase counterfeiting and smuggling.
In February, British American Tobacco, the world's second-largest cigarette maker, also said it would take legal action against the British government if it enacted the plans.
Members help make our journalism possible. Become a CSP member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.