Has plain packaging impacted smoking?

Posted by: Caféstudy

22nd Jan 2014 04:20pm

A year after plain packaging was introduced, we asked you if you thought it had had an effect and was working to stop people smoking. Was it a worthwhile change, or just an example of the Government making decisions for us?

Your responses are divided between those who think it is a good thing (mostly non-smokers), and those who feel annoyed and think that the initiative is the Government telling you what to do (mostly current smokers). Several of you who have been smoking for many years say that plain packaging has done nothing to change your habits. In fact, some of you even say it has made you more determined to continue smoking! You think that the Government has no right to tell you what to do, and that quitting smoking should be your decision not theirs. As Pete says, “the packaging does not change an addiction to nicotine”. There is some anger at the Government at continuing to use tobacco as ever-increasing tax revenue whilst sending out messages that it is damaging. Why not ban smoking altogether instead for the sake of people’s health?

When it comes to the impact on young people...well, as Careful says; “young persons do not respond to the pictures as youth feel they are indestructible so this is not the way”. There is an element of rebellion among the young, and this is not seen as the best way of approaching the problem.

However, what is interesting is that many smokers who say that the new packaging has had no effect on them actually remove the cigarettes from their packets and put them in their own containers, or buy or make a special cover for the packets. Doesn’t the fact that smokers are covering up the health messages surely tell us that plain packaging is having an impact? After all, if the health messages on the packets do not have any impact on the smoker, then why cover it up?

Suzieque

31st Jan 2014 08:37pm

I have been smoking for 50years I am healthy. The Government will never stop the public from smoking for they take 65% of the cost of cigarettes as tax and then give free cigarettes to the boat people. For many years a cigarette was clean to smoke there was no smell or dirty smoke that came out of them. The cigarette companies are just as bad as the government for they could start making the cigarettes with the same recipe as they used for many years. I even wrote to the manufacturers asking for them to make the cigarettes how they use to instead of putting their customers through what they are going through with the public let us enjoy our lives with something that keeps us calm and everyone else happy. I was raised to believe that charity begins at home how come we have to pay for the boat people to enjoy what we are not allowed to enjoy. Suzieque