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ASH Scotland congratulates Australia on world-first measure to protect young people from tobacco marketing

10 November 2011

The Australian Senate has passed the Australian Government’s plain tobacco packaging Bill, which will strip cigarette packs of their attractive branding and logos, and require all packs to be of uniform colour and design with large graphic warnings covering the majority of each packet.

An amendment to the legislation was introduced during the Senate debate which will delay the implementation dates from July 2012 to December 2012, and clarifies some legal and technical issues. The intent to delay the implementation had been previously announced by the Australian Government.

Because of the amendment, the Bill will have to return to the Australian Parliament’s Lower House for approval before it passes into law. This is expected to be largely a formality as the Lower House has previously debated and passed the legislation.
In response to this, Chief Executive of tobacco control charity ASH Scotland, Sheila Duffy, said:

“I congratulate the Australian Government and Senate on this world-first. Plain packaging will end the tobacco industry’s use of elaborate design and colouring to make their lethal product attractive to young people.

“Removing the ‘silent salesman’ of branded packaging is long overdue, and will help convey the message that tobacco is unlike any other normal consumer product. Is it really appropriate for a product which kills half of its long-term users to be sold in glitzy, shiny packs?

“The Australian Government, with strong popular support from the Australian people, has shown great leadership in meeting the well-resourced and powerful tobacco lobby head-on on this important issue. I hope that the UK Government will show similar resolve when they consult on introducing similar measures here, later this year.”