Plain packaging for cigarettes - would it change your smoking habit?

Since I am not dumb enough to intentionally inhale poison in the first place, no, my non-existing smoking habits would not change.

I don’t think it will cut down on smoking. I do think it might cut down on brand loyalty.

I know what draws me to smoking is the logos on the pack. Honestly, what a shit-stupid idea.

Would I start smoking? No.

In Canada they’ve required hideous pictures for years, diseased lungs and mouth cancer and the sort. I smoked when I lived in Michigan, and I wouldn’t buy them when I was across the river in Windsor.

Companies spend millions on packaging design enticing us to buy things, that would suggest plain packaging won’t sell as well.

Seems to me the threat would be more to the advertising and marketing side of the cigarette business rather than actual smoking rates. There is a marked decline already in such rates in Western societies but it seems unlikely that uniformity in packaging will deter addicts from their “fix”.

Yes, I believe it will. We (Australia) introduced plain packaging for cigarettes in 2012. It was one of a long line of strategies successive governments have implemented to try to reduce the number of people who smoke. By coincidence, I saw figures for the rate of smoking in Australia the other day. I think the main target of this approach is to deter young people from smoking. I agree, it’s unlikely to stop long-term smokers.

Australian Bureau of Statistics data shows tobacco and cigarette consumption are at their lowest levels since they were recorded. This is measured through estimated expenditure on tobacco products. In 1959, expenditure was AU$5.135 billion. In December 2012, it was AU$3.508 billion and in March 2014, it was AU$3.405 billion.

Customs and excise have recorded tobacco clearances dropping by 11% since 2012 when plain packaging was introduced.

The Australian government relies on national surveys to measure smoking rates.

In 2014, the National Drug Strategy Household Survey found daily smokers aged 14 or older had dropped from 15.1% in 2010 to 12.8% in 2013.

Smokers 18 years or older dropped from 15.9% in 2010 to 13.3% in 2013.

The number of 18–24-year-olds who had never smoked rose from 72% in 2010 to 77% in 2013.

Plain packaging works in different ways. It makes the packaging less attractive to consumers. This is likely to be especially effective in minimising the marketing effects on young people. It’s not the only measure. It’s part of a suite of measures to try to deter people from smoking. Tobacco products also cost a lot more and you can’t smoke in any public buildings including restaurants, shopping centres, cinemas etc. You also can’t advertise tobacco products OR have marketing information in shops.

Some of the ways plain packaging works is to:

Enhance the effectiveness of health warnings (including the visibility of horrible pictures that show what smoking does to you).

Reduce the ability of tobacco companies to use their packaging to mislead consumers about the dangers of smoking.

Australia now has the lowest levels of smoking ever recorded. Plain packaging would appear to be part of that outcome. Certainly, tobacco companies don’t like it since they have tried to take legal action to get the legislation repealed. They were not successful.

This information comes from this document.

This discusses the actual plain packaging initiative and legal challenges to its use.

To answer the question, I have never had the urge to smoke in the first place.

As for the effect of the law, I doubt it. Some people may be turned off by the lack of brands, but can we be sure that there is no one out there who doesn’t care for anything as long as it’s a cigarette? These people is want something on their mouth and they could care less for the origin of the package, as long as the cigarettes satisfy them.

Here in my country they don’t use the same law, but they do have their own solution for the smoking problem. It started with a law requiring that every package and kiosk had to go with a piece of paper saying something like: “Smoking is harmful for your health”. Then they enforced shocking photos of dead people and damaged organs and even babies. But people didn’t seem to be discouraged by that. One day I was visiting an acquaintance when I saw a cigarette package. It had a photo of a corspe exposing all the organs, like an autopsy photo. I was disturbed by the photo, but my acquaintance picked up cigarettes after cigarettes from the package and smoked like nothing ever happened. Seems like once people are addicted, there is no way you can discourage them.

Absolutely not, for two reasons.

The almighty state will never successfully manipulate my behavior.

Busted for the heinous crime of rape of purse snatching in Central Park? No, I was merely savoring a cigarette as I strolled along. Please god, just issue me the ticket. I consider it an acceptable fee for enhancing my park experience.

Packaging? The cigarettes will still go fabulously with chocolate, whiskey, sex, etc.

The U fucking K.

The same morons that considered making England, by law, smoke free by 2020 nationwide.

WHAT IS IT WITH ALL OF YOU, I MEAN SERIOUSLY. WHY DO YOU ALL HAVE SUCH NAKED HATRED TOWARD THOSE THAT HAVE FOUND WAYS TO ENJOY THEMSELVES.

If instead of indulging in cigarettes, fine clothes and food, suddenly found pleasure and meaning in life by killing the choices of others, would I now be considered legitimate?

(Lights Nat Sherman cigarette).

Like the bumpersticker reads: AT LEAST I CAN STILL SMOKE IN MY CAR.

Don’t let nobody tell YOU what to do. It’s much better to have cancer.

Good thinking!

Cancer, all manner of other maladies related to smoking…

NYC is full of that shit too. The insipid, no ALL PSAs are insipid, one with the woman that lost multiple fingers and does due to smoking induced cancer. Attempting to prey on the feeble minded with emotional manipulation…

I have a full understanding of the health risks related to smoking. This is why if I find myself on my deathbed far earlier than might of happened otherwise, you will not hear me whining or expressing regret.

Cancer…

I know what you are attempting. You are trying to legitimize your rabid distaste for tobacco by pretending to be concerned for my individual health. You might be a far better person than me, but I am indulging in the virtue that is making my own decisions for me and enjoying my brief time on Earth.

These anti smoking questions should be posted more frequently. They make my cigarettes taste even better.

Try again.

@SecondHandStoke to be fair, my question is worded quite neutrally.

@Stinley

My comment was not an attack on you.

I should have worded part of it differently.

Apologies.

I honestly can’t say if plain packaging would influence my smoking habit if I still smoked. It makes it really really harder to ignore the gruesome images.

We have it and it has not changed my habit nor that of anyone I know despite the pictures of corpses. I think the decline in smoking rates is due to constant raising of the price, not the pictures. Who gives af no one looks at the pics anyway unless they become a cult favourite like ‘old mate Brian ’.