http://metro.co.uk/2016/05/20/our-tobacco-laws-just-changed-heres-everything-you-need-to-know-5893582/
Major changes to tobacco laws have come into force today, May 20.
One of the most high-profile changes comes in the form of new standardised packaging – which will see all cigarette cartons be the same drab green colour.
At the same time, we are now no longer able to get 10-packs of cigarettes (sorry social smokers) – and we can start saying goodbye to menthol smokes.
There’s a lot to take in with the new laws, so we’ve put it all together for you.
Wait, what is this new law?
It is officially known as the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016, which is part of the EU’s Tobacco Products Directive (or TPD for short).
Basically it’s an overhaul of our laws around the sale, advertising and packaging of tobacco products, such as cigarettes and vapes.
What’s happening to cigarette packaging?
The introduction of standardised, plain packaging is a major success for smoking health campaigners.
Under the new law, all cigarette boxes will be one uniform colour – a dull green – and will be the exact same size and shape.
All of the fonts will now be a standardised too, as will the colour, size, case and alignment of any text.
And logos will be strictly prohibited (a fact that caused particular contention with four tobacco giants).
They will also have much larger health warnings which, with a graphic picture and text, will take up 65 per cent of the front and the back of the boxes.
Campaigners from Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) and Cancer Research have hailed the packaging change as a victory, mainly because of… well, this.
Shops now have a year to get rid of the boxes they still have, before they’re totally replaced in May 2017.
I usually smoke menthols, they’re okay right?
Nope – from today menthols are going to be phased out, ready for a total ban in May 2020.
Deborah Arnott, chief executive of ASH, told Metro.co.uk: ‘There is evidence to show that menthol in cigarettes makes it easier for children to try smoking and to become addicted regular smokers.
‘That’s why ASH supports the ban on menthol cigarettes.’
Did you say I can’t buy 10-packs anymore?
Yep – the cheap 10-packs of cigarettes are now withdrawn from production.
Shops and companies now have a year to basically sell up stock, before they’re totally replaced in May 2017.
It’s hoped that by getting rid of the small, cheap packets, fewer people will be tempted to take up smoking.
You also won’t be able to buy bags of loose tobacco that weigh less than 30g.
What about my lite, organic, all-natural smokes?
Stop right there! Cigarettes that are branded ‘lite’, ‘natural’ and ‘organic’ are now a thing of the past.
This is because these descriptors are actually pretty misleading, making you subconsciously think that type of cigarette is healthy.
What about shisha and other flavoured tobacco?
Flavoured tobacco is now banned outright.
However shisha, aka hookah or water pipe, is exempt from this ban.
A Department of Health spokeswoman told Metro.co.uk that this is because shisha tobacco doesn’t sell in high enough volumes to merit being outlawed completely.
But shisha tobacco will now be subject to the same packaging laws as explained above.
What about e-cigarettes?
E-cigarettes are now subject to a whole new set of regulations.
For example, the advertising of vapes is now almost totally banned.
Plus, any e-cigs with a nicotine concentration above 20mg/ml will need to be licensed as a medicine and therefore subject to the same strict regulations as over-the-counter drugs.