MPs vote to replace cigarette branding with standardised packaging

11th Mar 2015 17:51

Britain's parliament approved legislation banning branding on cigarette packs, a move that immediately drew threats of legal action from the tobacco industry.MPs passed the laws with the intent of improving public health and cutting child smoker figures, although the £19.4bn tobacco industry says the move would unfairly wreak havoc on profits.The legislation won a significant majority, with a margin of 367 votes to 113 in favour of the ban, which should come into effect by May 2016. It would be taken into effect in England first, before expanding to cover Wales. Northern Ireland and Scotland are considering similar measures."We want all children in our country to grow up free from the burden of disease that tobacco brings," Public Health Minister Jane Ellison said in a statement.However, the proposal must still be debated and passed by the upper house of parliament before it can be in enforced.Imperial Tobacco Group said that if the measure became law the firm would be "left with no choice but to defend our legal rights in court". British American Tobacco, the world's second-largest cigarette maker, also said it would take legal action against the British government if the plans were enacted.A YouGov opinion poll carried out in February revealed that 72% of the British public supported plain packaging, with only 15% objecting to such proposals.