Anything to declare?

I'm sure you don't need me to tell you but Friday was the closing date for yet another public consultation on tobacco and electronic cigarettes.

Before you think, "How did I miss that?", it was an Irish Government consultation concerning "legislation in relation to the sale of tobacco products and non-medicinal nicotine delivery systems (NMNDS)", including e-cigarettes.

The issues of interest to Forest were:

• Licences for retailers of tobacco and NMNDS
• Prohibition of tobacco and NMNDS vending machines
• Prohibition of temporary or mobile units selling tobacco products
• Prohibition of the sale of tobacco products and NMNDS by persons under 18 years of age
• Prohibition of the sale of tobacco products and NMNDS to persons under 18 years of age
• Prohibition of the sale of tobacco products at events/locations primarily intended for persons under 18 years of age

The consultation is the next step towards a so-called "tobacco-free Ireland". Whether that Utopian paradise will permit e-cigarettes and other NMNDS remains to be seen.

In line with current practise the online consultation form insisted that participants declare any connection with or funding from the tobacco industry.

I've no problem with that. I'm all for transparency but there has to be a level playing field.

For example, just as we have to declare whether Forest has ever received money from the tobacco industry, tobacco control activists and NGOs should declare whether they've ever received funding from the pharmaceutical industry or "any party having a commercial or other interest in the sale of nicotine delivery products or other smoking cessation aids".

After all, given last week's comments by GSK chief executive Andrey Witty (GlaxoSmithKline boss admits rise of e-cigarettes is a threat but rules out entering the market), electronic cigarettes are obviously having an impact on pharmaceutical companies so they have a clear vested interest in how NMNDS are regulated.

I will be interested therefore to see how tobacco controllers respond to some of the questions in the consultation. If for example they support significant restrictions on the sale of NMSDS journalists and politicians should start asking questions because tighter restrictions will undoubtedly benefit Big Pharma.

If there is no link between Big Pharma and anti-smoking campaigners in Ireland I will happily publicise the fact on this blog. But it's not unreasonable to ask the question, is it?

Comments

[John]

Surely anyone connected with one of the legions of false charities who receive any form of Government, Union, NHS or Council funding should also be declaring thier interests here?

After all if you are earning your living from anti-tobacco campaining, that is a declarable interest?

[Martin]

All well and good Simon but how about the consultation on the Control of Raw Tobacco in the UK?

Have you missed it?

http://dickpuddlecote.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/drafting-raw-tobacco-consultation.html