Plain packaging fails to deter Aussie smokers

25 March 2014 - 02:06 By Reuters
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US researchers say that quitting smoking on Monday (and again the next Monday) is better than on New Year's.
US researchers say that quitting smoking on Monday (and again the next Monday) is better than on New Year's.
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Deliveries of tobacco to retailers in Australia rose slightly last year for the first time in at least five years, even after the introduction of plain packaging aimed at deterring smokers, according to industry sales figures released yesterday.

Australia, which in December 2012 became the first country to ban branded cigarette packs, is being closely watched for signs of success as Ireland, New Zealand and the UK explore similar measures.

Britain last year appointed a respected paediatrician to examine whether plain packaging would reduce the health costs of smoking. The doctor's report is expected this week.

Tobacco companies sold about21billion cigarettes in Australia last year, the first full year of plain packaging, according to industry data from Marlboro maker Philip Morris International.

The exact reason for the upturn was unclear. Some tobacco companies argue that higher shipments of loose tobacco and a decline in cigarettes suggest smokers may be trading down to cheaper products and can therefore afford to buy more of them.

"When you commoditise a product, people go after the price," said Eoin Dardis, director of corporate affairs for Philip Morris in Britain.

Australia's law requires standardised packaging on all tobacco products, forcing companies to replace their logos and branding with graphic images of smoking-related diseases on a drab background.

The law is aimed at reducing the number of children who may be drawn to smoking by attractive, brightly coloured packs.

There has been evidence suggesting that the plain packaging is having some effect on smokers, including a study published in the British Medical Journal in July.

This study, commissioned by the Cancer Society of Victoria, found that, among 500 Australian smokers, most believed their cigarettes were less satisfying and of lower quality than a year ago, with most also thinking more about quitting.

A study funded by Philip Morris on the impact of plain packaging on the prevalence of smoking in minors in Australia found no evidence for an effect. The study will be published this week in Zurich.

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