British American Tobacco

We welcome the opportunity to respond to the UK Department of Health’s May 2008 discussion paper, “Consultation on the Future of Tobacco Control”.

We are also pleased that the department has acknowledged that a wide range of stakeholders have “valuable contributions to make in shaping the new (tobacco) strategy”. It is important that these stakeholders include the tobacco industry.

The consultation paper addresses important topics including combating under age smoking and tackling illicit trade. It proposes restricting or banning the display of tobacco products in shops, banning vending machines and, while not a specific proposal, discusses plain packaging for cigarettes and other tobacco products.

Read our full submission:

- Submission to UK Department of Health (1,526 kb)

Michael Prideaux, British American Tobacco’s Director, Corporate and Regulatory Affairs, said: “Because of the health risks associated with tobacco products, getting the regulation right in this area is important.

“But great care is needed to avoid ineffectual laws with significant unintended consequences: fuelling the black market that makes cigarettes more accessible to children, ruining the livelihoods of small retailers, undermining a competitive market and breaching companies’ intellectual property rights.”