THE TELEGRAPH: Tobacco companies will be forced to adopt plain packaging, removing all colour and branding within the next two years, under Australian government plans to reduce smoking-related deaths.
In a world-first, laws to be in place by January 2012 will prohibit tobacco companies from using any tobacco industry images and promotional text, as recommended by the World Health Organisation, the government is expected to announce.
The government believes the move, expected to be confirmed by Health Minister Nicola Roxon, will reduce the attractiveness of tobacco packaging and its potential to mislead particularly young people.
The move is a part of a government attempt to cut smoking rates to 10 per cent or less of the adult population by 2018. Tough government regulations on advertising has reduce smoking in Australia from more than 30 per cent in 1988 to 16.6 per cent in 2007. >>> | Wednesday, April 28, 2010
