McCarthy welcomes new European regulations on cigarettes

Alliance Health spokesperson Kieran McCarthy MLA has welcomed the European Parliament’s decision to pass tighter regulations on smoking. Warning labels will have to cover 65% of packaging, menthol and other flavoured cigarettes will be banned and there will be tighter restrictions on electronic cigarettes. Discussions will now take place with the EU’s 28 member states before these new regulations will come into effect.

Kieran McCarthy MLA said: “I am very pleased to see the European Parliament pass these new regulations. I hope the discussions with the EU’s member states will be completed quickly to ensure these regulations are implemented as soon as possible.

“Smoking is not only bad for people’s health but is also a major drain on our hospitals. We must do all that is possible to deter people from taking up smoking.

“The smoking ban that has been in place in Northern Ireland for a number of years has shown the benefits of implementing radical policies to tackle this problem.”

ENDS