Plain packs, plain risky

An overwhelming majority of Malaysians are concerned about the impact that a proposed imposition of standardized tobacco packaging would have on increasing the illegal trade in cigarettes, according to a Bernama (National News Agency of Malaysia) story.

With standardized packaging, all cigarette packs would look more or less the same, making it difficult for retailers, consumers and enforcement agencies to differentiate between licit and illicit packs.

The findings were based on a recent nationwide poll conducted by the Merdeka Center for Opinion Research on behalf of the Malaysia Singapore Coffee Shop Proprietors’ General Association (MSCSPGA).

In a statement on Wednesday, Ho Su Mong, president of the MSCSPGA, said illicit cigarettes were costing retailers more than RM500 million in lost income every year.

He said the market was already flooded with illicit cigarettes because of last year’s hike in cigarette excise tax, and he expressed concern that standardized packaging would make the problem worse.

Currently, almost half of the cigarettes consumed in Malaysia come from the black market and, in May, MSCSPGA commissioned a public survey so that it could better understand Malaysians’ views on the issue.

Based on the survey, 88 percent of people believe that standardized packaging will cause smokers to turn to the black market where they can easily access cheap illicit packs.