The Cigar Wars: Zim opposes plain cigarette packaging

21 Dec, 2014 - 00:12 0 Views
The Cigar Wars: Zim opposes plain cigarette packaging

The Sunday Mail

1912-1-1-SMOKING GRAPHIC JPGZIMBABWE is fiercely opposed to plain cigarette packaging, which has been dubbed the world’s toughest anti-smoking law, on the basis that it prevents manufacturers from displaying their innovation.

Plain cigarette packaging, also known as generic or homogeneous packaging, refers to packaging that requires the removal of all branding (colours, imagery, corporate logos and trademarks), permitting manufacturers to print only the brand name in a mandated size, font and place on the pack, in addition to the health warning and any other legally mandated information such as toxic constituents and tax-paid stamps.

In 1989, the New Zealand department of health’s Toxic Substances Board first recommended that cigarettes be sold only in white packs with black text and no colour or logos.

The law was intended to reduce and ultimately stop youth smoking, increase the effectiveness of health warnings through the introduction of bolder text and graphic picture warnings on the packs to discourage smokers from purchasing them, as well as reduce smoking rates amongst adults.

But in Zimbabwe, Malawi and Zambia where tobacco is a major contributor to GDP, authorities are against plain cigarette packaging.

Fears are that once adopted, the move would promote the illegal sales of cigarettes.

Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board chief executive officer Dr Andrew Matibiri told The Sunday Mail Extra last week: “Our country is in line with those other countries that oppose plain cigarette packaging.

“We are not for the idea because it does not show the innovation of the cigarette manufacturer. Yes we appreciate that the idea is meant to discourage youths from smoking but we feel there are other measures that can be taken to deter youngsters from smoking and not plain packaging.”

Tobacco is grown in five of 15 Sadc member states. Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia are key burley variety producers, while Tanzania and Zimbabwe produce virginia flue-cured.

Globally, Zimbabwe is the fourth-largest producer of virginia flue-cured tobacco after China, the United States and Brazil.

In 2013, Sadc exported close to US$2 billion worth of tobacco leaf, with Zimbabwe accounting for 44 percent, Malawi 28 percent, Mozambique 13 percent, Zambia nine percent and Tanzania five percent of the total. This came to 15 percent of all global exports of tobacco leaf in 2013.

The significance of the sector’s contribution to economic development has prompted Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe to join a global challenge against cigarette plain packaging laws at the WTO as third parties to a dispute led by the Ukraine, Honduras, the Dominican Republic, Cuba and Indonesia.

The complainants argue that Australia’s measures violate certain international trade law principles: eroding the protection of intellectual property rights and imposing severe restrictions on the use of validly registered trademarks.

Furthermore, they say the measures constitute an unnecessary obstacle to trade and that the stated health objectives can be achieved with other means.

International Tobacco Growers Association president Mr Francois van der Merwe recently told a local radio station that some countries were keen to introduce similar laws but Sadc was stoically resisting this.

“In Sadc we have seen some resistance from countries like Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi where tobacco is a major contributor to those economies and peoples’ livelihoods.

“The governments of Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi have taken an active stance against this legislation by joining a global challenge against cigarette plain packaging laws at the World Trade Organisation . . .

“ITGA’s hope is that governments across Southern Africa will carefully consider the many unintended consequences of laws such as this can have on real people and real jobs.”

Mr van der Merwe urged governments to also consult widely before introducing laws that could have a ripple effect on economies and livelihoods.

Tobacco growers are concerned about the possible impact plain packaging could have on them while cigarette manufacturers feel the removal of branding will make it difficult to sell.

Flue-cured tobacco output this year came to 216 million kg compared to 165,85 million kg in 2013. The surge in tobacco output was attributed to a 10,3 percent increase in the number of growers from 78 756 in 2013 to 86 900 in 2014. In 2004, about 4 000 small-scale black farmers were growing tobacco.

Tobacco contributes about 10,5 percent of GDP, which means curtailing the sector will plunge tens thousands of people out of employment.

Critics say plain cigarette packaging has not curbed youth smoking in Australia, which adopted it two years ago.

A survey by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare shows a slight increase in youth smoking amongst 12 to 17-year-olds, with smoking rates up from 3,8 percent to five percent between 2010 and 2013.

Research on effectiveness of health warnings on cigarette packs indicates these are also largely ineffectual.

This year, 59 percent of smokers said they do not believe that graphic warnings deter them from lighting up. This is up from 53 percent in 2012.

Further, the tobacco industry says there has been no real change in volumes since introduction of plain packaging laws, but rather an increase in illegal sales. And a recent KPMG report shows an increase in illegal tobacco by 25 percent to its highest level since the introduction of plain packaging.

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