A big of tobacco producer has been forced to look after there cigarettes after ABC uncovered a first beach of the Federal Government packaging law. BAT agreed to remove letter abbreviations on six brands of its cigarettes.
Health Minister told about ABC products that were not strictly compliant with Federal Government legislation. From October it will be illegal to produce cigarettes for sale in Australia for the plain packaging rules.
The regulation can carry an alpha numeric code for recall and manufacturing purposes and it is not a kind of advertising in the way to be related to the brand or cigarettes. Ms Plibersek says about cigarette pack obtained by the ABC in October.
They have letters like LDN and NYC for London, AUS for Australia and SYD for Sydney, and it is a think that letter suggest it have some meaning for smokers. It is certainly that Cigarette Companies are trying to push the boundaries. We please them to change their production. .” Ms Plibersek says thin lines on the cigarette sticks also breach the rule which says the cigarette casings must be made from plain paper.
“It’s a sort of watermark in the paper of some of the cigarettes. We believe that it is a breach. We believe plain paper means plain paper, it doesn’t mean watermarked paper, so we’ve also told the tobacco companies that they need to change that,” she said. A spokesman for British American Tobacco says the company contacted the Health Department as soon as it was first notified and has since had ongoing discussions.
“We were more than happy to work with them for a mutually beneficial outcome,” the spokesman said. The Government warned tobacco companies in September not to try any dirty tricks once the plain packaging laws came into effect. Any dodgy products could earn see manufacturers slapped with fines of more than $100 million and their products recalled. But Ms Plibersek says tobacco companies will get off for this first breach.
We were more than happy to work for mutual beneficial outcomes. The Government warned tobacco companies in September for trying of dirty tricks on the plain package law that came into effect. Any dodgy products slapped with fines more then $100 million. Ms Plibersek says about tobacco companies will get off this first breach.
They were testing the boundaries and we have gone after them and they have rolled over, they have agreed for changing what they did. I think that is a good outcome for nation health. Ms Plibersek says the Government will allow the cigarettes to remain for the market sale until they are sold out.
