The Australian government has recently passed legislation that will make them the first country in the world to ban cigarette branding and, it seems, the UK government is interested in following suit.
The logic is that unbranded packets don't appeal to young non-smokers and so fewer will start to smoke. Anti-smoking campaigners look at recent branding that has seen cigarettes being marketed in packets that look like perfume and make up. The anti-smoking lobby claim such packaging is deliberately targeted at youngsters, finding the next generation of smokers.
As it is all cigarette packets sold in the UK have to carry large and prominent health warnings but this doesn't seem to be making any sugnificant impact on the numbers who take up smoking annually.
Statistics suggest that one in every two smokers will die of an illness caused by smoking - and yet the numbers smoking stay solid.
Those opposed to plain packaging highlight three downsides:
1: There is no evidence to suggest that branding does anything to encourage smoking. It is there to identify different brands but not to entice people into the habit.
2: Plain packaging will make the job of counterfeiters much easier. They will no longer have to make different, and sometimes complex, packets for different brands. The same size and colour of box will just require a few words of print on it.
3: The more that the tobacco companies are restricted in advertising, sponsorship and the branding of their product the more their profits increase, unless the restrictions have the effect of cutting consumption.
Personally, I think governments need to do whatever it takes to stop the illnesses and deaths attributed to smoking. Sadly, because of the hefty wack of tax revenue the exchequer collects from the sale of cigarettes, the one thing that should be done, the total outlawing of cigarettes, hasn't been done by any of the weak-willed governments we've had in recent decades. Until a government does the right thing and outlaws cigarettes, though, it is worth trying anything in the hope of protecting stupid people from the evils of cigarettes.
lovely packaging
ReplyDeleteIts true that packaging style attracts the customers and in case of such kind of products Government need to do whatever its in favor to stops the usage of these harmful products that causes illness and deaths.People should be warned about the evils of cigarettes and the companies that deals in these products should be restricted to advertise less.
ReplyDeletepackaging machine