“Smoking remains one of the most significant challenges to public health. Health ministers across the UK have a responsibility to look at initiatives that may help to reduce the number of young people taking up smoking and assist existing smokers who are trying to quit. We have an open mind about the introduction of standard packing and want to take full account of all views on the possible benefits and disadvantages of action in this area.
“We have received thousands of responses to the consultation already but we want to make sure that everyone who wants to contribute can. So we are extending the closing date to Friday, 10 August 2012.”