‘Notorious’ tobacco problems are in the past – Judge

A 2002 ministerial direction that curtails the granting of new wholesale tobacco licences has been labelled as ‘antiquated’ by a Supreme Court judge, who said the ‘notorious problems’ associated with the sector in the 1990s had been ‘reduced, if not eliminated’.

Puisne Judge Adrian Jack made the comments in a judgement on a longstanding appeal of a decision by the Trade Licensing Authority to refuse a wholesale tobacco licence to Julnic Holdings.

An earlier appeal of that decision was rejected in 2011 by the Magistrates Court on public interest grounds, but the Supreme Court judge said the matter should now be re-heard.

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