France to impose standardized cigarette packaging

The French parliament has narrowly passed a law to impose standardized packaging on cigarettes, according to a Euronews story.

Standardized packaging, which is already used for tobacco products in Australia and which has been legislated for in Ireland and the UK, is being imposed in France from May next year in a bid to reduce smoking, particularly among teenagers.

Smoking is the said to be the main cause of death in France, where more than 70,000 people die each year of tobacco-related illnesses.

The Euronews story quoted unnamed ‘experts’ as saying that removing branding from cigarette packs and adding large health warnings work in reducing smoking.

The new EU Tobacco Products Directive will force tobacco manufacturers to include on packs sold in the EU health warnings taking up 65 percent of the main pack surfaces.

Tobacco manufacturers are said to be threatening to take legal action against the French government.