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posted by mrpg on Monday February 27 2017, @07:12AM   Printer-friendly
from the smoking-is-bad dept.

The proof is in the packaging. Making all cigarette packets look the same reduces the positive feelings smokers associate with specific brands and encourages quitting, Australian research shows.

The findings come ahead of the UK and Ireland introducing plain tobacco packaging in May.

Australia was the first nation to introduce such legislation in December 2012. Since then, all cigarettes have been sold in plain olive packets with standard fonts and graphic health warnings.

The primary goal was to make cigarettes less appealing so that people would not take up smoking in the first place. But an added bonus has been the number of existing smokers who have ditched the habit.

Between 2010 and 2013, the proportion of daily smokers in Australia dropped from 15.1 to 12.8 per cent – a record decline. The number of calls to quit helplines also increased by 78 per cent after the policy change.

Hugh Webb, et al. Smoke signals: The decline of brand identity predicts reduced smoking behaviour following the introduction of plain packaging, Addictive Behaviors Reports, DOI: 10.1016/j.abrep.2017.02.003


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  • (Score: 2) by DannyB on Monday February 27 2017, @09:55PM (1 child)

    by DannyB (5839) Subscriber Badge on Monday February 27 2017, @09:55PM (#472547) Journal

    Even plain white packaging, with plain black letters on the box, can be made to differentiate.

    Plain
    Extra Whitening
    With Baking Soda
    With Peroxide
    Extra Whitening with Baking Soda
    Fresh Mint Taste

    --
    People today are educated enough to repeat what they are taught but not to question what they are taught.
    Starting Score:    1  point
    Karma-Bonus Modifier   +1  

    Total Score:   2  
  • (Score: 2) by caffeine on Tuesday February 28 2017, @12:31AM

    by caffeine (249) on Tuesday February 28 2017, @12:31AM (#472594)

    In Australia cigarettes packets in the shop have to be hidden from view. Usually behind a door or screen.

    The font face, size and colour is also mandated to make it hard from them to work around the rules.