From: Telegraph & Argus
By Chris Holland, Business Reporter
Increased smuggling of illicit cigarettes, billions of pounds in lost taxes and little impact on the number young people taking up smoking would be the consequences of enforcing plain tobacco packaging, an inquiry has been told.
Mike Ridgway is the Bradford-based spokesman for a packaging industry campaign fighting the threat of plain packs which claims it would lead to job losses locally and nationally.
He gave evidence this week before Sir Cyril Chantler who is chairing an independent review of public health evidence for standardised tobacco packaging and is due to report next month.
The campaign against plain cigarette packaging was revived after the Government decided to reconsider its decision to put the issue on the back burner.
Mr Ridgway, a former executive of packaging companies Weidenhammer and Chesapeake which between them employ about 100 people in Bradford, said the campaigners received “a very fair hearing”.
They warned that the introduction of plain tobacco packaging would have several unintended consequences, notably an increase in the illicit tobacco trade and the associated crimes that go with such illegal activity.
