British press reports that Cameron has explained the matter by saying that plain cigarette packaging is not a core issue for him. The opposition believes that his capitulation to tobacco company lobbyists is scandalous and that the government is seriously failing in its public health policy.
The proposal for neutral packaging was put out for public consultation in April 2012. Over 60 percent of the population supports the proposal.
– In-depth explanations are needed as to why this crucial proposal is not included in the Queen's Speech, says Deborah Arnott, general secretary of the English Action on Smoking and Health, ASH, to the Daily Mirror newspaper.
A representative for the British Lung Foundation notes that since the referral began last year, 200,000 young people in the country have started smoking and 100,000 people have died from diseases caused by smoking.
“It is so wrong that the industry should be able to entice young people to smoke with the help of expensively designed cigarette packs,” says Penny Woods from the Lung Foundation.
The Guardian newspaper wrote in an editorial on May 4 that tobacco companies have funneled large sums of money to various front organizations to finance extensive lobbying. This has led to a coalition of service retailers and other shop owners and organizations. The arguments have been the same as those used everywhere when the industry feels threatened by tobacco restrictions.
What they warn about has not materialized in Australia, which introduced plain packaging in December. The industry also claims that such packaging is not effective in deterring young people from smoking, but the industry's own documents that became public after legal proceedings show that it is fully aware that attractive packaging design is necessary to attract children and young people to start smoking.
The British government has a mandate to take action to improve the health of its citizens, but over the past week it has failed its citizens, the Guardian concludes.
