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Action on Smoking and Health
A National Legal-Action Antismoking Organization Entirely Supported by Tax-Deductible Contributions
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UK: "Light, Mild and Low Tar" Cigarettes are Banned [08/25-2]
Excerpts from: Now put out the Lights
The
Observer [08/24/03]
Once the height of cool, Marlboro Lights - and all 'mild' cigarettes promoting
the illusion of safe smoking - are to be banned. Kamal Ahmed and Jamie Doward
report on another step towards an end to lighting up in public
No more. Marlboro Lights, along with all other cigarettes claiming to be 'mild',
'light' or 'low tar', are to be banned from sale under the 'lights' banner next
month under new laws from the European Union.
It is another blow to Britain's 11 million smokers who have recently faced calls for a total ban on smoking in public places from the Chief Medical Officer, Professor Sir Liam Donaldson. Pizza Hut plans to prevent smoking in all its restaurants, and Brighton's council is considering outlawing smoking in the city's pubs and clubs.
Philip Morris International, maker of Marlboro, confirmed to The Observer that it is to stop producing Marlboro Lights, smoke of choice for supermodels and the younger generation of Hollywood stars. It will simply run with the name Marlboro for all its cigarettes. Launched in 1986, Marlboro Lights now outsell the Marlboro red by five to one and account for nearly 6 per cent of the British market. They are so sought-after that Customs officers estimate that up to half the boxes of Marlboro Lights it seizes from smugglers may be fakes.The gold and red colours of the boxes will be the only hint to smokers of the different nicotine and tar content. Other makes will replace 'light' with 'blue' or 'refined'. Health campaigners welcomed the move, saying cigarette companies have been allowed for too long to get away with using the term light, suggesting they are 'better for you' than other cigarettes. 'There has been a confusion that these cigarettes are somehow less dangerous,' said Deborah Arnott, director of Action on Smoking and Health (Ash). 'That is simply not true. We need to ensure this message gets through to people - just getting rid of the name "lights" is not enough.'
The Government is now considering introducing graphic photographs on packs to underline the health message. By the end of the year the EU will produce a set of agreed images which governments will be encouraged to use. Philip Morris said that it would not challenge the ban, hoping that people would still recognise the brand by its colour
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