I think this is going to come up a little later with some NDP amendments, which I'll move a little later, to require health warnings on cigarettes and other tobacco products and the products themselves.
I have to say two things. One is that I agree with Dr. Eyolfson when he says that we've never seen or heard any convincing peer-reviewed evidence that shows any link between plain packaging and increased contraband. I know that claim is made, but I haven't seen any reliable evidence that it's the case. I want that on the record.
Second, it may just be my limited intellect, but I have never quite understood the argument being made as to why the regulating of a package or even the product has anything whatsoever to do with increasing or decreasing contraband as a matter of theory. If the concern is that contraband manufacturers are going to copy legitimate products as a means of confusing law enforcement officials, they'll do that whatever the packaging is.
Apparently they're doing it now, according to Ms. Finley. If they're copying contraband cigarettes now, with the packaging, they'll do it after the packaging changes. Frankly, I'd rather contraband manufacturers copy products that have very, very prominent health warnings on them, than the current situation.
It's not that I don't have a concern for contraband cigarettes. I think Ms. Finley has made the case powerfully that she's concerned about the contraband industry, and I think we share that. What I'm not convinced of, after listening to all of the testimony and reviewing the evidence, is that plain packaging or somehow limiting the plain packaging force, power, or requirements, has any bearing on that.
That's why I'll be opposing the motion, not because I'm not concerned about contraband.