Australia to bring in plain packaging for cigarettes

Posted 14/08/2012

An attempt by cigarette manufacturers to challenge legislation due to come into force in Australia at the start of December has been lost. This means that from December, all cigarettes will have to be sold in the same olive green packets and the only pictures allowed on the packets will be graphic images of people injured by the effects of smoking.Trefine Maynard, a Clinical Negligence solicitor at Ashtons Legal said: “The manufacturers have complained that this move will reduce their profits and have also stated that there is no proof that introducing plain packets reduces the sale of cigarettes. The illogicality of their arguments makes their objections seem ridiculous. However, the battle they have mounted to challenge this move gives hope that taking steps to reduce the attraction of smoking may have some effect – at least in the number of young people taking up the habit.The evidence of the harmful and far reaching effects of smoking – not only on those who smoke themselves – but directly and indirectly on their families, has been building for years. All too often, we find ourselves trying to help those who have suffered the harmful effects of smoking. These new measures are welcomed and their impact will be watched with great interest by those seeking to reduce the incidence of smoking, not only in the young, but also among habitual smokers”.