McCarthy: Health Minister must introduce plain cigarette packaging

Alliance Health spokesperson, Kieran McCarthy MLA, has urged the Health Minister Jim Wells to introduce plain packaging for cigarettes in Northern Ireland after it was announced that plans for it to become law in England would be brought forward. MPs will vote on it before the General Election and it could take effect in 2016.

Kieran McCarthy MLA said: “I am very pleased that proposals to introduce plain cigarette packaging in England have been brought forward and I hope all MPs will support it. It is now imperative that the Health Minister introduces similar plans in Northern Ireland.

“We have seen several different initiatives in recent years to reduce the level of smoking, such as removing cigarette displays in shops and the smoking ban. I believe that plain packaging must also be adopted.

“We must do all that is possible to encourage more people to give up smoking to improve the public’s health, as well as reducing the strain on our hospitals.”

ENDS

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