Benson & Hedges Fund...

[mushroom25]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-23338997

they can't both be telling the truth.

Can they?

[mikey4444]

The tobacco industry has its back to the wall in all Western countries and they will do anything to avoid any more controls. They peddle evil and should never be underestimated :::

http://www.ash.org.uk/files/documents/ASH_126.pdf
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/health/2010-05/29/c_13322126.htm

[bazwillrun]

Ever seen The Insider ?

A cigarette is a highly developed drug delivery system to produce addiction

[ToraToraTora]

horrifically, I'm forced to concur with mikey on the western world. As an aside though I think the western world is becomming an ever more minor market for the perveryors of this antisocial filth. They are now preying on developing nations and teaching the children to become addicts so I doubt they will give a rats one way or the other. Go to Africa and check it out, not to mention the old eastern bloc.

[Quizmonster]

Crosby is just continuing a fine Tory tradition. From November 1992 for the folllowing three years, Thatcher was paid $500,000 per annum - half to her personally and half to her so-called Foundation - to be an adviser/consultant for the very same company, Philip Morris. They even laid on a 70th birthday party in Washington for her, inviting several hundred guests. Clearly, they were sufficiently grateful for her input to foot the $1,000,000 bill!

[LazyGun]

Its telling that Cameron is very careful to use a very specific phrase " Lynton Crosbie has never lobbied me on this issue".

As an insider within Camerons circle of advisors, he hardly needs to formally lobby to get influence and the ear of the PM.

I get the feeling that both the plain packaging measure and the minimum alcohol pricing measure were shelved, not because of the relative merits or the evidence, but because the party strategists felt they were both potential vote losers....

[Sqad]

I agree with LazyGun, although i could not convince myself that neutral packaging would have any effect on smoking habits, come the next election, the last thing you want hanging around your neck is ....vote losers.

The BMA and the Medical profession will jump up and down, but this will soon be lost in more important issues.

[jno]

I can't see cigarette packaging being an election issue. Nor does the tobacco industry; for them it's a financial one, and they'll stop at nothing to protect their financial interests.

[craft1948]

I'm a smoker (thankfully my daughter is not.) Would the plain packaging make me stop smoking...............no.
I would say that the current packaging, along with it's horrific anti-smoking messages is more of a deterrent to smoking than plain packaging would be.

[LazyGun]

@Craft - If by "plain packaging" they meant to follow the Australian version, then the health warnings are much more stark, much more prominent, and usually followed by some pictorial examples.

Were I still a smoker, and this measure were to go through, I would be investing in one of those fancy-schmancy silver cigarette cases :)

When you are facing a very tight general election, political calculation will play a part when looking at any proposed legislation. How will this story be spun? Will the government get brickbats or bouquets because of it? Never mind the experts - what about the person in the street?

Its not going to be the most significant issue, agreed, but small things can add up. For some, it might be the straw that broke the camels back - or other suitable cliche :)

And yes, of course I am well aware that for the tobacco industry its all about the money rather than politics. I was not implying otherwise...

[jno]

what cliché, LazyGun?

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cxmptAPYR-s/RgW0uKgQbUI/AAAAAAAAAh8/z2iTSuzW5Ks/s1600-h/camel.jpg

[bazwillrun]

Why stop with fags.....
Plain packaging on all foods considered "unhealthy" and no TV advertising
Plain packaging on all alcoholic beverages and no TV advertising
and on it goes