Over 235,000 people have signed a petition against plain packaging of tobacco, which has been delivered to the Department of Health, organised by the Hands Off Our Packs campaigns.
Standardised packaging of tobacco is the subject of a public consultation that closes on Friday (10 August).
The Hands Off Our Packs campaign was launched in February by the smokers’ lobby group Forest, which opposes the idea.
Head of the campaign, Angela Harbutt, said: “Plain packaging is not about health. It’s about denormalising a legal product and stigmatising millions of consumers.
“People aren’t stupid. They know that if tobacco is sold in dull, drab packs then alcohol, fast food and fizzy drinks will also be targeted. Over 200,000 people have spoken and the message is clear. Plain packaging is not welcome in Britain.
“We were overwhelmed with requests from retailers, packaging companies and private individuals asking for petition pads and postcards. The result is one of the largest ever protests against excessive regulation and the nanny state.”
Source: Hands Off Our Packs
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