What will plain packaging cigarettes look like

From 1 December all tobacco companies were prohibited by law to use brand logos, colours or promotional text on their tobacco packaging. All packets include graphic health warning images both on the front and back. Following a legal challenge against the Australian legislation by Imperial Tobacco Australia, British American Tobacco Australia and Philip Morris Limited, a High Court ruling declared on 15 August that plain packaging in Australia was not in breach of the Australian constitution as it did not represent an appropriation of company trademarks by the government.

The government were not using the brands for their own profit they were prohibiting their use by the tobacco companies. It was reported that those countries received technical and financial support from BAT and PMI to bring their complaints.

But in Canada, plain packaging was not accompanied by new warnings. Instead, plain packaging was introduced on packages where the same warnings have been in place since The ITC evaluation study examined Canadian smokers at two points in time—in before plain packaging and in after plain packaging. After plain packaging, more Canadian smokers reported that they did not like the look of their cigarette pack, increasing from Web Design and Development by Annertech.

Features of plain packs include: The shape, colour and method of opening the pack will be the same, no matter what brand of cigarettes it is. Cigarette packs will be a standard shape, size and colour.

Picture and text health warnings will take up the majority of space on the packs. Brand names will be in standard type face, colour and size. The duty paid stamp will remain with covert markings that show the pack is not counterfeit. Does plain packaging work? International resreach has shown that plain packaging discourages young people from smoking in a number of ways: Young people find plain packs less attractive and appealing than branded packs.

Health warnings on plain packs have a greater impact and make people think more about the risks associated with smoking. Plain packs prevent any confusion about lighter coloured packs being less harmful to the smoker. Marketing to children Since it became illegal to advertise cigarettes in Ireland in , the tobacco industry has been investing huge amounts of money in branding and packaging designed to attract new customers, most of whom are children.

Our research shows the truth about branding Focus group research with 15 to 16 year olds, commissioned by the Irish Cancer Society and Irish Heart Foundation, found that young people associated visually attractive packs with looking and feeling better about themselves. Why do we need plain packs? Why does the tobacco industry focus on children?

Plain packaging law passed by Oireachtas Fewer children will take up smoking as a result of the new law introducing plain packaging of tobacco in Ireland. Scaremongering by the tobacco industry has only reinforced support for the initiative.

Is plain packaging happening anywhere else? The UK and France introduced plain packaging on 20 May Read more.