Clause 4 - Advertising: exclusions
Tobacco Advertising and Promotion Bill
3:15 pm
Ms Yvette Cooper (Parliamentary Secretary (Public Health), Department of Health; Pontefract and Castleford, Labour)
The problem with the amendment is that it would create a massive loophole in the Bill by allowing extensive direct marketing by tobacco companies. The fundamental flaw in the Opposition's argument is that 70 per cent. of smokers say that they want to give up smoking. Smokers who at one time in their lives wanted further information about a product may six months or a year later—even less than that—decide that they want to try to give up smoking. Given how addictive tobacco smoking is, and its huge health impact, people should be supported when they try to give it up.
We know the type of direct marketing carried out by tobacco companies. For example, Imperial Tobacco sent out large numbers of free samples with their new Concept cigarette-making pack early in the new year, just as many smokers were trying to give up. To have direct mail or promotional products coming through people's doors when they are trying to give up, even if they had requested that information a year previously, undermines their attempts to give up smoking in what are often difficult circumstances.
Given the health impact, we should be trying to support people who give up smoking. People have a right to request information about tobacco products. Communications in response to such a request should be limited to it. The amendment would create a massive loophole in the Bill, which is why the Government will reject it.