Tobacco lobby not barred from giving evidence on standardized packaging

Advisers to Ireland’s Joint Committee on Health and Children have said there is no legal impediment to tobacco industry representatives giving evidence at hearings on proposed standard-packaging legislation, according to a story in the Irish Independent.

Hearings, which are scheduled for the New Year, will be crucial to the progress of the Tobacco Plain Packaging Bill.

Anti-smoking groups had complained that allowing the tobacco lobby to give evidence would violate the World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which restricts governments from interacting with the industry on health issues.

But legal advisers said the treaty did not preclude the industry from making oral representations to the committee.