New Cigarette Packs to Use Black-and-White Design
China News Service, March 13 — According to foreign media reports, British lawmakers recently voted in favor of requiring tobacco companies to sell cigarettes in plain packaging, although the decision has been strongly opposed by the tobacco industry.
Under the plan, the new packaging will use a black-and-white color scheme, with brand names printed on the pack in a basic font alongside health warnings about the dangers of smoking. Other proposed colors include dark tones such as olive green, because darker colors are seen as signaling danger.
UK Public Health Minister Jane Ellison said, “Today’s vote is a step toward making the UK the first country in Europe to standardize packaging regulations. We want our children to grow up free from the harms caused by tobacco, and we hope these control measures can take effect in May 2016, bringing our country one step closer to a smoke-free generation.”
She pointed out that as many as 100,000 people in the UK die each year because of smoking. She also announced that new regulations would be introduced on October 1 to ban smoking in private cars.
