On Thursday it was revealed that Australia is leading the pack when it comes to smoking reforms. Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon released the government plans to deter Australians from smoking. The plans disclosed that tobacco products would no longer come wrapped in their signature and iconic boxes.
Instead they would come in matching, plain, unadorned boxes-in a move that could be seen as attempting to detach different cigarette brands from psychological and emotional attachments from smokers.
For example, for someone who had been a passionate Marlboro Lights smoker all their life, the sight of the white and black box would most certainly hold some attachment in their mind; stripped down into plan packaging, there would appear to be less distinction between brands and therefore less attachment.
Commenting on the pioneering move, Roxon commented,
“This plain packaging legislation is a world first and sends a clear message that the glamour is gone-cigarette packs will not only show the death and disease that can come from smoking.”