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Australia's Anti-Smoking Idea: Very Boring Packages

Proposed legislation would ban logos, colors

By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff

Posted Apr 18, 2011 12:14 PM CDT

(Newser) – Australia is pushing for a new tool in its quest to cut smoking rates: really boring cigarette packages. The government has announced legislation that would ban logos, colors, brand imagery, and promotional text, while mandating that all packages be olive green—determined in studies to be the least appealing color. The move would “take away the tobacco industry’s final capacity to promote its product,” says a professor of public health.

Australia has long been a leader in war on tobacco, the Christian Science Monitor reports, but this time the country will face quite a fight from the tobacco industry. A legal challenge has been threatened, alleging that the proposed legislation infringes on international trademark laws. If the government's plan comes to pass, brand names will appear on each cigarette package in a standard font, and the rest of the box will be covered in health warnings.

In this computer-generated image, proposed cigarette packaging stripped of all logos that tobacco companies in Australia will be forced to use is shown.
In this computer-generated image, proposed cigarette packaging stripped of all logos that tobacco companies in Australia will be forced to use is shown.   (AP Photo/Minister for Health and Ageing)
In this computer-generated image, proposed cigarette packaging stripped of all logos and replaced with graphic images that tobacco companies in Australia will be forced to use is shown.
In this computer-generated image, proposed cigarette packaging stripped of all logos and replaced with graphic images that tobacco companies in Australia will be forced to use is shown.   (AP Photo/Minister for Health and Ageing)
In this computer-generated image, proposed cigarette packaging stripped of all logos and replaced with graphic images that tobacco companies in Australia will be forced to use is shown.
In this computer-generated image, proposed cigarette packaging stripped of all logos and replaced with graphic images that tobacco companies in Australia will be forced to use is shown.   (AP Photo/Minister for Health and Ageing)
This undated image provided by the Department of Health and Ageing shows a mock-up of a cigarette package with the banding removed and graphic health warnings displayed.
This undated image provided by the Department of Health and Ageing shows a mock-up of a cigarette package with the banding removed and graphic health warnings displayed.   (AP Photo/Dept. of Health and Ageing)
This undated image provided by the Department of Health and Ageing shows a mock-up of a cigarette package with the banding removed and graphic health warnings displayed.
This undated image provided by the Department of Health and Ageing shows a mock-up of a cigarette package with the banding removed and graphic health warnings displayed.   (AP Photo/Dept. of Health and Ageing)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 10 comments
yoeydude
Apr 19, 2011 4:03 AM CDT
fools , you're all emotional driven ,.... its subconscious , they have tested the shit out of us , they know the things that catch our eye , they know the smells that make us tingle ,.... we are susceptible to images of sex and violence , messages of hate , fear , envy , they know how to sell us shit , just think how men react to two dimensional images of a naked female on a piece of paper , in an another animal that behavior would be a laugh riot ,..... repetitive messaging works , they know the hooks , we need to hone our bull shit detectors ,... as far as smokes go , its a drug delivery system , use of that drug leads to health issues that put costs beyond the value of the smoker ,... so a sane system allows for it , but makes it costly ,.....
Disillusioned
Apr 18, 2011 2:27 PM CDT
Who gives a sh*t if someone smokes and why should they care The say "Smoking causes cancer and kills thousands every year" My question is why do you give a d@mn? War kills more, more bloody and you don't do crap to stop it We are all going to die, the one thing we all have in common Want to live to an old age where you are made to feel you are a drain on the economy? Want to live to a ripe old age where you are shoved aside and made to feel useless? Get off peoples backs about crap that only touches them and just design tobacco that it can be smoked where the smell and fumes do not reach others If folks want to line up and puff till they fall over so be it, I am tired of this bubble wrap the world and make it safe mentality News Flash, life isn't safe and nobody gets out alive anyways
saridout
Apr 18, 2011 12:37 PM CDT
Just change the standard font to Comic Sans, and all designers on earth will suddenly quit, cold turkey.

 
Australia • smoking • cigarettes • tobacco • tobacco companies • anti-smoking

 
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