The Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children has published its report on the proposed tobacco plain packaging Bill.
Among its recommendations is that consideration be given to the introduction of mandatory trading hours for tobacco products, as is currently the case with alcohol.
In addition the report calls for legislation on the 'standardisation of the size of tobacco packaging', the 'inner packaging of tobacco products to be the same colour as the outside surface', and 'a separate and distinct definition for brand, company and business name so as to prevent tobacco manufacturers from promoting brand variants to the status of brands'.
Consideration should also be given to the introduction of a ‘polluter pays’ type levy on tobacco manufacturers to be used to offset the health care costs associated with tobacco use, the report recommends.
NFRN Ireland has issued a statement in which it noted that 'despite presenting the Joint Oireachtas Committee with a large volume of credible evidence, the report failed to address the fact that growth in illicit trade will follow the introduction of plain packaging'.
