Clear The Air News Tobacco Blog Rotating Header Image

January 13th, 2013:

Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products opened for signature

http://www.who.int/fctc/en/

·       The Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products, adopted by the Parties to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) in November 2012 in Seoul, was opened for signature by the Parties in a ceremony at WHO Headquarters on 10 January 2013.

·

·       http://www.who.int/entity/fctc/cop/sessions/WHO_FCTC_10JAN2013_300_1.jpg

·

·       More than 50 Parties participated in the event and 12 Parties representing all six regions signed the Protocol on this occasion. These countries are China, France, Gabon, Libya, Myanmar, Nicaragua, Panama, Republic of Korea, South Africa, Syrian Arab Republic, Turkey and Uruguay. In addition, Tunisia signed the Protocol on Friday, 11 January, while the treaty was still open for signature in Geneva.

·

·       After the initial two days in Geneva, the Protocol will remain open for signature at the United Nations Headquarters in New York until 9 January 2014 and will enter into force 90 days after the 40th Party has ratified it.

·       http://www.who.int/entity/fctc/cop/sessions/WHO_FCTC_10JAN2013_042_1.jpg

·       The Parties who took the floor expressed their strong commitment and support to the Protocol, some of them declaring their intention to sign it in the near future.

·       The WHO Director-General also attended and addressed the ceremony. Amongst the speakers were the Permanent Representatives of the Republic of Korea and Uruguay to the UN in Geneva, representing the current and the preceding Presidencies of the Conference of the Parties (COP).

·       http://www.who.int/entity/fctc/cop/sessions/WHO_FCTC_10JAN2013_089_1.jpg

·       The new international treaty is aimed at combating illegal trade in tobacco products through control of the supply chain and international cooperation. As a key measure, Parties commit to establishing a global tracking and tracing system to reduce and eventually eradicate illicit trade.

·       All photos credit: WHO/Pierre Albouy

More information and evidence : Cancer Research UK

to me

http://www.cancercampaigns.org.uk/ourcampaigns/theanswerisplain/moreinformation/

More information and evidence

Plain packaging is a really important step in protecting young people from tobacco marketing. Now that advertising tobacco is illegal, the tobacco industry is relying more and more on stylish tobacco packs to recruit new smokers. With eight out of ten smokers starting by the age of 19, plain packs will take us one step closer to a future where people don’t start smoking in the first place.

For more details on plain packaging, download our Facts and Fiction document or our report ‘The packaging of tobacco products

FAQs

What are plain packs?What plain packs will look like in Australia

Plain packaging means all cigarette packs look the same. They are packaged in a standard shape without branding, design or a logo. Pictured (right) is an example of the packs Australia plans to introduce.

  • Health warnings will remain
  • Brand name in will be in a standard type face, colour and size
  • The shape, colour and method of opening the packet will be standardised
  • The duty paid stamp will remain with covert markings that show the pack is not counterfeit
  • Cigarettes are also standardised in size and colour

Back to top

Why are plain packs needed?

Plain packaging is needed to reduce the attractiveness of tobacco products to children. The evidence demonstrates that tobacco branding works in three key ways:

  • Packets are designed to be attractive and communicate the ‘personality’ of a brand. They can act as ‘badge products’ and an extension of a person’s identity
  • Lighter packaging colours mislead customers, suggesting some products are healthier than others
  • Packets with branding reduce the prominence and effectiveness of health warnings

Eight out of ten smokers start by the age of 19. 1 Addiction keeps them smoking into adulthood where it kills one in two long-term users. 2 Marketing is known to pull children into smoking; 3 and the pack is just another marketing tool. 4 Children should be protected from the marketing of a highly addictive and seriously harmful product. Plain packaging would play an important role in this protection.

Back to top

Watch our campaign video and find out how it was made

The video is completely unscripted and shows the children’s genuine reactions to the packs. We worked with two schools to make this happen, both of which are very supportive of the campaign.

We filmed in the schools and with pairs of friends to make sure that the children were as comfortable and relaxed as possible. The professionals who led the interviews started by asking them to talk about cereal packs to get them used to describing their feelings and impressions of packaging, before showing them the empty or sealed cigarette packs.

Full parental consent was given before the filming and the parents were given a dedicated contact at the charity for any questions they might have. After the filming each child received a talk and information pack about the dangers of smoking.

A huge thank you to all of the families and both of the schools involved for their ongoing support.

Back to top

Why are branded packets so powerful?

Branded packs convey the pack’s personality and allow the tobacco industry to target specific audiences, whether that’s bright, slim packs aimed at young women or bold assertive packs aimed at men. Since tobacco advertising became illegal in 2002, tobacco companies have relied more on tobacco packets to sell their deadly products.

As an Executive from Philip Morris, a large tobacco company, said in an internal presentation: ‘Our final communication vehicle with our smokers is the pack itself. In the absence of any other marketing messages, our packaging… is the sole communicator of our brand essence. Put another way: When you don’t have anything else, our packaging is our marketing.’ 5

The colours of some packs are also designed to make them look healthier than others. Studies have shown that adults and young people (11-17) are much more likely to rate silver or gold packs as lower tar, lower health risk and easier to quit in the case of adults. 6 7 8

Below is a small selection of the packs currently on sale.

A selection of current cigarette packs

Back to top

What evidence is there that plain packets will make smoking less appealing?

Top quality evidence shows that putting cigarettes in plain, standardised packs makes them less attractive to children. This is why we’ve taken a strong stance in favour of introducing plain packaging in the UK, as have other health experts, including the World Health Organisation. 9

A total of 37 key studies, that all meet stringent methodological and relevant criteria, have shown that plain packaging is an effective tobacco control measure. The Department of Health commissioned a systematic review on plain packaging 10 involving leading Cancer Research UK researchers. All 19 quantitative studies examining the attractiveness of plain packs found they were less attractive than branded equivalent packs. Thirteen studies examined perceptions of smoker identity and personality attributes associated with plain packs. Plain packs consistently received lower ratings on projected personality attributes (such as ‘popular’ and ‘cool’) than branded packs. The Cancer Research UK funded Centre for Tobacco Control Research has brought together the evidence on plain packs.11

Cancer Research UK’s vision is to beat cancer, and when we have clear evidence that a measure will help reduce smoking rates, we have a duty to act. This is a vital public health issue that we’re proud to champion.

Back to top

Are plain packs a popular option?

In a YouGov survey eight out of ten people said that they would support plain packaging if there was evidence that they are less attractive than branded packs.12

The campaign for plain packaging is supported by a coalition of organizations including: Cancer Research UK, British Hearth Foundation, Asthma UK, The British Medical Association, British Lung Foundation, ASH, Smokefree South West, Royal College of Physicians and The Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation.

Back to top

Does it matter if I’m a smoker?

It doesn’t matter if you’re a smoker or not, this campaign isn’t about telling people to quit, it’s about stopping the next generation from starting in the first place.

Back to top

Why now?

The government held a UK-wide public consultation on the plain packaging of tobacco products which ran from April to August 2012.Throughout this consultation, Cancer Research UK, along with our partners in the Smokefree Action Coalition, called for the plain, standardised packaging of tobacco. Our campaign ‘The answer is plain’ received over 78,000 actions and on 27 June over 70 of our Cancer Campaigns Ambassadors joined us in Westminster to lobby their MPs. Our campaign video ‘‘The answer is plain’ has also had over 245,000 views.

We are now awaiting the outcome of the consultation and are hoping that the government legislates for plain packaging as soon as possible, to help prevent children from taking up smoking. The Government must not delay bringing in plain packaging legislation – when 100,000 deaths a year are due to tobacco , missing an opportunity to help reduce smoking has very serious costs.

There will be ways to get involved in the campaign in the future. Please fill in our quick form to express your interest and we’ll keep you in the loop as the campaign progresses

Back to top

Will plain packaging apply to roll-up tobacco and cigars?

Yes, plain packaging would apply to all tobacco products, this includes roll-up tobacco and cigars.

Back to top

References

1.    Goddard E. (2008). General Household Survey 2006: Smoking and drinking among adults 2006. Office for National Statistics, Newport.

2.    http://info.cancerresearchuk.org/healthyliving/smokingandtobacco/howdoweknow/

3.    For a discussion, see Chapter 2 of: Hastings, G et al. (2008) Point of Sale Display of Tobacco Products. The Centre for Tobacco Control Research, University of Stirling. http://info.cancerresearchuk.org/prod_consump/groups/cr_common/@nre/@pol/documents/generalcontent/crukmig_1000ast-3338.pdf

4.    Hastings G, Galopel-Morvan K, Rey JM. The plain truth about tobacco packaging. Tobacco Control 2008;17:361-362

5.    Speech notes from T.E. Sandefur, President of Brown and Williamson (a subsidiary of British American Tobacco), 1985. Bates no. 52001904/1918. Available at: http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/action/document/page?tid=noi24f00

6.    Hammond D, Dockrell M, Arnott D, Lee A, McNeill A. Cigarette pack design and perceptions of risk among UK adults and youth Eur J Public Health. 2009 Dec;19(6):631-7.

7.    Hammond D, Parkinson C. The impact of cigarette package design on perceptions of risk. Journal of Public Health (Oxford). 2009 Sep;31(3):345-53

8.    Hastings G, Galopel-Morvan K, Rey JM. The plain truth about tobacco packaging. Tobacco Control 2008;17:361-362

9.    Chan, M. ‘Chan to world: Stand with Australia’. 22 March 2012. Available at: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2012/tobacco_20120322/en/index.html

10. Hastings et al. ‘Plain tobacco packaging : A systematic review’. Public Health Research Consortium. http://phrc.lshtm.ac.uk/project_2011-2016_006.html

11. Ford, A. ‘The packaging of tobacco products’. Cancer Research UK: London. 2012. Available at: http://www.cancercampaigns.org.uk/ourcampaigns/theanswerisplain/moreinformation/ssLINK/moreinformation/CR_086687

12. Action on Smoking and Health. ‘Public support for putting products in plain packaging’ (2011). http://www.ash.org.uk/files/documents/ASH_765.pdf

Cigarette packaging – The answer is plain – Cancer Research UK

https://action.cancerresearchuk.org/ea-action/action?ea.client.id=149&ea.campaign.id=16993
[Please select… \/]

Cancer Campaigns

You are here: Cancer Campaigns » Our campaigns » Cigarette packaging – The answer is plain

Our campaigns

Cigarette packaging – The answer is plain

Help us follow Australia’s lead

Australia recently switched to plain design removing all logos and branding from cigarette packs. This makes cigarettes less appealing and will help protect today’s Australian children from becoming tomorrow’s smokers. It’s a practical step that will make a real difference.

You can help us bring forward the day when British children get the same protection.

Send a quick email to your MP today, asking them to throw their weight behind the campaign and make sure the new Health Secretary knows why it’s so important.

Why should I act?

Right now, the Government is considering the responses to its consultation on cigarette packaging.

We need to raise the pressure and we have no time to lose. Every year 157,000 11-15 year olds take up smoking. Plain packaging closes the advertising loophole tobacco companies exploit to market a deadly product in attractive packaging.

We want Parliament to vote on plain packs so every MP will be crucial to actually making it happen. Your MP needs to know you want to count on their full support.

Find out more

Public support for putting tobacco products in plain packaging

Download PDF : ASH_765

Tobacco Advertising at Point of Sale

Download PDF : ASH_693

The cost of smoking to the NHS

Download PDF : ASH_694

Beyond smoking kills

Download PDF : ASH_698

Philip Morris Asia Limited (Hong Kong) v. The Commonwealth of Australia

Permanent Court of Arbitration
Peace Palace
Carnegieplein 2
2517 KJ The Hague
The Netherlands
T:+31 70 302 4165
F:+31 70 302 4167
E:bureau@pca-cpa.org

http://www.pca-cpa.org/showpage.asp?pag_id=1494

Philip Morris Asia Limited (Hong Kong) v. The Commonwealth of Australia

The PCA acts as registry in this arbitration, which is conducted under the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules of 2010 pursuant to the Agreement between the Government of Hong Kong and the Government of Australia for the Promotion and Protection of Investments.

The members of the Arbitral Tribunal are:
Professor Karl-Heinz Böckstiegel (Presiding Arbitrator)
Professor Gabrielle Kaufmann-Kohler
Professor Donald M. McRae
The Claimant is represented by:
Mr. Stanimir A. Alexandrov
Mr. James Mendenhall
Ms. Marinn Carlson
Mr. David Roney
SIDLEY AUSTIN LLP

Mr. Joe Smouha QC
Mr. Salim Moollan
ESSEX COURT CHAMBERS

Mr. David A.R. Williams QC
Mr. Simon W.B. Foote
BANKSIDE CHAMBERS
The Respondent is represented by:
Mr. Simon Daley
Ms. Irene Sekler
AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT SOLICITOR

Mr. Justin Gleeson SC
ACTING SOLICITOR-GENERAL OF AUSTRALIA

Mr. Anthony Payne SC
SIXTH FLOOR, SELBORNE WENTWORTH CHAMBERS

Mr. Samuel Wordsworth
ESSEX COURT CHAMBERS

Dr. Chester Brown

7 SELBORNE CHAMBERS/ESSEX COURT CHAMBERS
Mr. James Hutton
ELEVEN WENTWORTH CHAMBERS

Mr. Mark Jennings
OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL LAW, ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPARTMENT

Documents

Big Tobacco has a ball in NC

And in Hong Kong the political party sponsors are …………?   well, there is no law to force disclosure … why is that ?

Big Tobacco has a ball in NC

After helping elect N.C. Gov. McCrory, Reynolds is sponsoring inaugural events.

http://www.southernstudies.org/2013/01/big-tobacco-has-a-ball-in-nc.html

After helping elect N.C. Gov. McCrory, Reynolds is sponsoring inaugural events.

Appreciate this post? Please donate & share below.

This week, North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory is ringing in the new Republican administration with a series of events including a Gala Presentation and Inaugural Ball — events that share a common sponsor: tobacco giant Reynolds American.

Winston-Salem, N.C.-based Reynolds American Inc. is the parent company of R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., as well as three other tobacco-related companies, and it is a longtime powerhouse in North Carolina politics.

In 2012, Reynolds continued to flex its political muscle, with the company and its people using a variety of avenues to help McCrory and other Republicans. Among Reynolds’ political expenditures in the 2012 election cycle*:

* REPUBLICAN GOVERNORS ASSOCIATION: According to the latest available records, in 2011-2012 Reynolds gave $441,337 to the Republican Governors Association. In the past election, the RGA was the single biggest outside spending group in North Carolina politics, spending more than $4.9 million on ads to help elect Gov. McCrory.

* REAL JOBS NC: In 2011-2012, RAI Services Co., a division of Reynolds American, gave $250,000 to Real Jobs NC, the outside spending group linked in 2010 to conservative financier Art Pope, who McCrory appointed to direct the state budget. In turn, Real Jobs spent more than $884,000 supporting Republican candidates — just under $400,000 of that benefiting McCrory.

* REPUBLICAN STATE LEADERSHIP COMMITTEE: In the last election cycle, Reynolds was also the third-largest contributor nationally to the Republican State Leadership Committee, giving more than $700,000 to the Washington, D.C.-based group. The RSLC in turn gave $300,000 to Real Jobs NC for its efforts in Gov. McCrory’s race and other state contests. The RSLC also gave $25,000 to Citizens for Accountability, a GOP-leaning outside group focused on the North Carolina lieutenant governor race, and more than $1.1 million to Justice for All NC, a group backing the GOP favorite for the N.C. Supreme Court, Paul Newby.

* RAI PAC: The Reynolds American Inc. political action committee gave $4,000 to Pat McCrory’s campaign, according to N.C. State Board of Election records.

* N.C. CHAMBER IE: The N.C. Chamber’s independent expenditure arm raised $50,000 from RAI Services for 2011-2012. N.C. Chamber IE in turn spent more than $250,000 on behalf of state candidates, a majority of them Republicans (though McCrory was not among them).

* REYNOLDS EXECUTIVES: Several top leaders at Reynolds also made personal contributions to McCrory’s campaign. These included Martin Holton and David Powers ($8,000 each), John Wilson III ($5,000), Robert Dunham ($2,000), and Stephen Strawsburg ($1,000).

Of course, corporate sponsorship of North Carolina’s inaugural events is nothing new. In 2009, Democratic governor-elect Beverly Perdue’s fete was backed by Blue Cross Blue Shield of NC. The insurance giant is sponsoring a reception for McCrory on Friday.

Reynolds’ lead sponsorship of McCrory’s event, as well as the company’s aggressive spending in North Carolina politics this election cycle, signal that Big Tobacco’s political presence will be felt for years to come.

* NOTE: Final figures for 2012 election contributions and spending won’t be available until mid-January, when the final reports are filed.

0

Your rating: None

Chris Kromm

By Chris Kromm on Tue, 01/08/2013 – 13:50

Millions of cigarettes seized

Ewa Kretowicz
Published: January 13, 2013 – 3:00AM

CUSTOMS and Border Protection seized more than 125 million cigarettes being illegally brought into the country in 2012.

Laid end to end the cigarettes would stretch from Canberra to Perth and back again.

Combined with loose leaf, more than 134 tonnes of smuggled tobacco was seized at ports all round the country, which potentially would have cost the Australian government more than $128 million in unpaid taxes.

While China has traditionally been the biggest source of illicit cigarettes entering Australia, more recently large shipments have started to arrive from the United Arab Emirates.

Despite last year’s hefty haul, the figures also show there has been a 32 per cent drop in the amount of illegally imported tobacco seized.

But general smoking trends may also be contributing to a decline in demand, with 2012 figures showing an ever shrinking number of people taking up the smoking habit.

Customs and Border Protection said increases in penalties, fines and jail time as well as a number of arrests in 2011 and 2012 had contributed to the decrease.

But Cancer Council Victoria manager Kylie Lindorff said prices made illegal cigarettes attractive to smokers.

With government tariffs, a packet of 25 cigarettes costs about A$16, while an illegal packet of cigarettes sells for about $10, Ms Lindorff said.

”The main issue with smuggled tobacco is that it’s cheaper than in a store. The cheaper the tobacco, the less likely people are to give up and the more they will buy,” she said.

”Less cheap tobacco is a great thing … as every cigarette is killing you.”

Even so, only about 2 per cent of smokers buy smuggled tobacco and there were fewer Australians smoking last year than ever before in the country’s history.

”About 15 per cent of Australians 14 years and over are smoking and that’s dropping. And among young people smoking is at its lowest point ever,” Ms Lindorff said.

She said the decrease showed government programs were working.

”There are increased penalties, there are increased fines so it’s not worth people trying to import [tobacco] and demand is less as well because there are less people smoking.

”When people are caught they now face up to 10 years in prison.”

She said an 18-year-old today would not have been alive when smoking was outlawed in workplaces and cinemas.

”Young people today have never been exposed to ads on television or ads on billboards.”

This story was found at: http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/millions-of-cigarettes-seized-20130112-2cn1q.html