Norway, New Zealand Gear Up for Plain Tobacco Packaging

This week, the WHO also released a report claiming plain packaging slashes smoking rates.

June 01, 2016

OSLO, Norway – The Norwegian government is preparing to put a proposal to parliament this month that would mandate plain packaging for tobacco products. Across the country, New Zealand is also proposing plain packaging for cigarettes as part of the government’s push to be smoke-free as a nation by 2025, Bloomberg reports. Ireland, France and the United Kingdom have also moved to plain packaging for cigarettes. Four major tobacco companies have challenged the U.K.’s mandate in court.

New Zealand announced that the tobacco tax will jump by 10% each year for the next four years. In addition to cigarette packets, Norway will make snus (a smokeless tobacco) packaging dark green as well. “It will look like the addictive and dangerous product it is,” said Norwegian Health Minister Bent Hoeie. “We are moving toward a smoke-free generation. Someday tobacco will look as unbelievably outdated as smoking in airplanes.”

The World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nation’s health agency, released a report yesterday tying plain packaging, along with advertising regulations and health warnings, to curbing smoking, Deutsche Welle reports. “Plain packaging reduces the attractiveness of tobacco products. It kills the glamour, which is appropriate for a product that kills people,” said WHO Director-General Dr. Margaret Chan.

Meanwhile, Australia’s plain packaging regulations haven’t quite succeeded as much as has been touted. Jeff Rogut, CEO of the Australasian Association of Convenience Stores, pointed out the explosive rise of contraband cigarettes as one of the unintended consequences of the mandate. “One in seven cigarettes are now sold illegally,” he said.

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