Tobacco companies may be forced to sell cigarettes in plain packaging as part of a raft of measures designed to halve the number of smokers in England by 2020, according to a report by the Independent.

As part of the government’s "tobacco control strategy", which aims to reduce the number of smokers from 21 per cent of the population 10 per cent in the next 10 years, the government pledged to encourage research to further understanding of the possible links between tobacco packaging and smoking behaviours.
The measures announced yesterday also include immediate investment in extra overseas officers to crackdown on the import of cheap illicit cigarettes from abroad, NHS support for every smoker who wants to give up, as well as a review of further measures to protect children. These could include the promotion of smoke-free homes and cars.
Health Secretary Andy Burnham said: "Most smokers start before they are 18, so we have to discourage children and young people from ever starting. Now that we have banned advertising and will soon see an end to attractive displays in shops, the only remaining method of advertising tobacco is the packaging. So we will carefully consider whether there is evidence for making tobacco companies use plain packets."
Burnham said that while no final decisions had been taken, he personally backed moves to impose a "plain packaging" regime on tobacco manufacturers. If these rules would be adopted, the department of health would be likely to outlaw the use of logos, colours and graphics on packets and require cigarettes to be sold in plain packs with just the text of the brand of cigarettes. (pi)