LONDON (Brand Republic) 鈥 Cigarette packs could be emblazoned with graphic images of rotting teeth and diseased lungs after European parliament MEPs backed tough new rules which would force tobacco manufacturers to include such pictures on product packs.
The Strasbourg parliament also backed rules which would ban manufacturers from using terms such as 鈥渕ild鈥 and 鈥渓ow tar鈥. Health warnings will also be required to take up 30% of the front of each pack, and 40% of space on the back.
The move has been slammed by the tobacco industry, which claimed that several of the measures would risk thousands of jobs.
British American Tobacco has called on health ministers to overturn the vote, claiming it would cause a 鈥渄e facto鈥 ban on exports, threatening 1,800 jobs in the UK and a further 6,000 jobs among suppliers.
But MEPs said the tobacco companies have had their way for too long. 鈥淭hey overturned Europe鈥檚 tobacco advertising ban on technicalities, but they will not get rid of these health warnings through legal loopholes,鈥 Labour MEP Catherine Stihler said.