The smokers' group Forest, which runs the Hands Off Our Packs campaign, has urged consumers and retailers to "defend Britain from excessive regulation".

Responding to comments by Health Secretary Andrew Lansley in The Times today, Simon Clark, director of Forest, said:

 

"The consultation on plain packaging of tobacco threatens to be a farce. Andrew Lansley says he is open minded yet he clearly supports plain packaging even before the consultation has begun.

 

"Hundreds of thousands of pounds of public money has been spent in one region alone trying to persuade people to support plain packaging. Government is effectively using taxpayers' money to lobby itself. This scandalous abuse of public money must stop now.

 

"Plain packaging is another step towards the denormalisation of a legal product. It is yet another attack on ten million adult consumers. 

 

"The consultation on plain packaging has nothing to do with health. It's all about Andrew Lansley. The health secretary is using the consultation to curry favour with health professionals, many of whom are less than impressed with the changes he is making to the NHS.

 

"He possibly believes that by extending the war on tobacco he will buy himself some time to win their support.

 

"Despite our cynicism about the consultation we urge consumers and retailers to make their voices heard and help defend Britain from excessive regulation."

 

Notes to editors:

 

1. Public money used to lobby government on plain packaging - click here.

 

2. Hands Off Our Packs is run by Forest (Freedom Organisation for the Right to Enjoy Smoking Tobacco). Forest is supported by British American Tobacco, Imperial Tobacco Limited and Gallaher Limited (a member of the Japan Tobacco Group of Companies). 

 

3. Hands Off Our Packs website