Our Supporters 
Hands Off Our Packs is supported by adults from all walks of life. They include smokers and non-smokers who are sick of being patronised by the tobacco control industry.
Newsroom
Campaigners urge Government to keep an "open mind"
"Final decision on plain packaging must be based on hard evidence"
Campaigners have urged the government to keep an "open mind" on plain packaging legislation following an announcement by public health minister Jane Ellison.
According to Ellison the government is currently minded to proceed with plain packaging but will conduct a final short consultation.
Simon Clark, director of the smokers' group Forest which runs the Hands Off Our Packs campaign, said:
"It makes sense for the government to take its time and consult further but it seems perverse to commit to a policy before those discussions have taken place.
"If further consultation is to have any meaning the government must keep an open mind.
"The final decision on standardised packaging must be based on hard evidence that it stops children smoking. Conjecture and subjective opinion are not enough."
Clark urged the government not to forget the outcome of the public consultation on plain packaging.
"A four-month consultation resulted in over 665,000 responses, two thirds of them opposed to plain packaging.
"We urge government not to ignore those responses which were submitted in good faith.
"Failure to take into account the result of a public consultation would leave a very bad taste and could alienate a large number of voters, many of whom could be driven to vote for Ukip in protest."
Our Supporters
In 2012 the Government held a public consultation on whether the UK should adopt standardised (or 'plain') packaging for tobacco products. In total the consultation received over 665,000 responses, with a substantial majority (427,888) opposed to the policy. In November 2013 the Government announced a further review of the evidence on standardised packaging and commissioned paediatrician Sir Cyril Chantler submit a report by the end of March 2014. The report was published on April 3 when public health minister Jane Ellison simultaneously announced that it was "minded" to proceed with the policy subject to a "final short consultation". To make your views known please visit our NO PRIME MINISTER microsite NOW! To receive updates about our campaign please enter your details below.
