§ 3. Sir G. Nabarroasked the Secretary of State for Social Services, in view of the rise in cigarette consumption by 6½ per cent. during 1972, if he will now take steps additional to the publication of tar 233 and nicotine content to dissuade cigarette smokers, notably young smokers, from developing the habit, including seeking to include health warnings on duty-free supplies at airports and on ships; and whether he will make a statement on all anti-cigarette propaganda.
§ The Secretary of State for Social Services (Sir Keith Joseph)I would refer my hon. Friend to my reply to him on 19th June about additional steps against cigarette smoking. The Health Education Council is particularly concerned about young people in planning its antismoking campaigns. Duty-free cigarettes packaged for export do not carry the warning notice and it is not possible to identify at the packaging stage the small proportion sold at airports and on ships.
§ Sir G. NabarroHas not my right hon. Friend recognised from my hostile supplementary questions that I dismiss absolutely the excuses he has given for continued delay in trying to prevent the inordinate rise in cigarette smoking, now estimated at 6 per cent. last year? Until he resorts to legislation there will surely be no cure. Will he not now relent before the onset of the new Session and introduce legislation at an early date?
§ Sir K. JosephThe difference between my hon. Friend and the Government has been that he believed it was necessary to have legislation in order to have health warnings on cigarette packets, while the Government thought that we could rely upon voluntary agreement with the industry. I believe that the Government have been proved right. If my hon. Friend has suggestions for different forms of legislation, no doubt he will let me know.
§ Dr. SummerskillDoes not the right hon. Gentleman agree that there is a conflicting and paradoxical situation with regard to advertising? On the one hand cigarette advertisements are banned on television and the Government contribute hundreds of thousands of pounds a year to deterring people from smoking because of the harmful and lethal effects, while on the other hand the tobacco industry is free to advertise the pleasure and gratification of smoking in newspapers and magazines and on hoardings?
§ Sir K. JosephYes, but it would be a grave step for this House to ban the 234 advertising of a product that it is perfectly legal to make, and the Government are not persuaded that to ban advertising would reduce the amount of cigarette smoking.