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New laws on packaging for cigarettes.

New laws to standardise cigarette packaging have been given the go ahead by MPs.

From 2016 all brands of cigarettes sold in the UK will look the same; the packaging will carry the brand name of the maker with images of illnesses associated with smoking, health warnings and the content breakdown of the cigarette.

The new law needs to pass through the House of Lords but that is seen as a formality.

In a free vote in the House of commons 367 Mps voted in favour of the new laws with 113 against.

The UK are the third country to introduce the new packaging, behind Australia and Ireland, having declared that it would consider the changes the government ran a consultation in 2012, since then the new law change seemed to flounder amid accusations of interference, which prompted a review which concluded that the changes would see a reduction in smoking.

The review highlighted the uptake of smoking in children and concluded that the change could see a fall of 2%, with the removal of brand designs making the packets less appealing.

The moves have been widely applauded, with some considering the changes to be the most important health changes during this parliament.

Some concerns we raised about the timing of the measure so close to the end of parliament, and the smoking lobby group said the measures would not make any difference, and mentioned that consideration perhaps should be given to standardising alcohol packaging.

The latest amendment to the Children's and Families Bill comes on the back of a Labour led change passed a week earlier which empowers ministers to make it a criminal offence to smoke in privately owned cars whilst in the company of children if ministers decide to in the future.

As this has received backing through parliament we would expect that it will become Law in the not too distant future.

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