The Cabinet has approved and published a general outline of draft legislation paving the way for the introduction of standardised/plain packaging of tobacco products.

The legislation will outlaw certain forms of branding including trademarks and logos on cigarette packets, make it mandatory for tobacco to be sold in standardised packaging, and increase the size and position of the health warnings on tobacco packets.

Ireland is the first member state of the European Union to seek to introduce standardised/plain packaging.  To date, only one other country, Australia has succeeded in introducing similar provisions.  

The Parliamentary Committee examining the proposal is currently seeking submissions from interested parties by 15 January 2014.

Contributed by Gerard James and Charleen O’ Keeffe.

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