From: The New Paper (Singapore)
Harder to smoke out counterfeits
Plain packaging may lead to spike in illicit cigarettes produced by organised crime syndicates
Jeffrey Chua
On May 20, plain cigarette packaging came into full effect in the United Kingdom, as the one-year grace period for retailers and consumers to adjust to the change ended.
***Even as Singapore’s health authorities mull over a similar move, it is useful to consider the likely unintended consequences of such a policy here from the point of view of ongoing enforcement efforts against illicit tobacco products in the Republic.
