Plain packaging for tobacco..on its way

If you didn't know by now, apparently fags are bad for you. Now plain packaging will be brought in.

Nanny state?

Not that I care, my job depends on cig smuggling from the continent so I'm sorted.

I quit a few years ago, so won't affect me. If I still smoked I'd still buy my choice of brand regardless of packaging as I'm sure regular smokers will do.

Might stop kids from taking it up but if they want to smoke, they will smoke regardless of the packaging.

Bit puzzled. Thought they had decided to wait for more evidence from other places.

Not bothered at all. I smoke and I need to give up, this won't do a darned thing for that though.

I think its complete nonsense. Speaking as an ex smoker too.

To me your choice in fags comes down to two things. Brand loyalty or price. This is not pop or children's cereal or sportswear. People don't usually go for a fancy label or packet.

If, like I used to, you smoke B&H You go to the shop and ask for 20 B&H. If they serve it in a white plan pack you are still going to go in and ask for 20B&H.

If you just pick whatever is the cheapest brand, again you will still go into a shop and just ask for whatever is on offer the cheapest. A plain white pack will make sod all difference.

I just think the whole thing is just a pathetic attempt by the government to be seen by the health campaign freaks as "doing something".

The reality is that no government will ever have the balls or desire to completely ban smoking - they need the tax revenue too much.

Tzijlstra, get your self a decent vapouriser, easy as pie and requires minimal willpower.

20 years under me belt and it was easy.

As for plain packaging; I suppose every little helps but that's hardly going to have any impact. It's not as if the packs are appealing to look at.

Tzijlstra, get your self a decent vapouriser, easy as pie and requires minimal willpower.

20 years under me belt and it was easy.

 

As for plain packaging; I suppose every little helps but that's hardly going to have any impact. It's not as if the packs are appealing to look at.

Tried it, didn't like it at all, it actually makes me 'smoke' a lot more as I can then use it in the house. I also have no trust in the fact that they might be 'better' for you, although I really do hope they are as, like you, they help a lot of people.

I think its complete nonsense. Speaking as an ex smoker too.

 

To me your choice in fags comes down to two things. Brand loyalty or price. This is not pop or children's cereal or sportswear. People don't usually go for a fancy label or packet.

 

If, like I used to, you smoke B&H You go to the shop and ask for 20 B&H. If they serve it in a white plan pack you are still going to go in and ask for 20B&H.

 

If you just pick whatever is the cheapest brand, again you will still go into a shop and just ask for whatever is on offer the cheapest. A plain white pack will make sod all difference.

 

I just think the whole thing is just a pathetic attempt by the government to be seen by the health campaign freaks as "doing something".

 

The reality is that no government will ever have the balls or desire to completely ban smoking - they need the tax revenue too much.

If packaging means nothing why is vast amounts of money spent designing the packaging?

I remember reading or hearing somewhere that the majority of the tobacco brands "look" and "advertising" was geared towards attracting new smokers as opposed to stealing smokers away from other brands. So maybe the thought process is that this move may take away part of the process of attracting new smokers.

The packaging is part of the brand which is created by the advertisers, and don't under estimate the power of advertising, it is a finely tuned science that has had billions of pounds of investment.

I think its complete nonsense. Speaking as an ex smoker too.

 

To me your choice in fags comes down to two things. Brand loyalty or price. This is not pop or children's cereal or sportswear. People don't usually go for a fancy label or packet.

 

If, like I used to, you smoke B&H You go to the shop and ask for 20 B&H. If they serve it in a white plan pack you are still going to go in and ask for 20B&H.

 

.

That much is true.

If, on the other hand, you are a 16 year old just starting out on the road to smoke heaven, what do you ask for? And how do you react when you get the plain pack with the ugly picture of some incurable disease?

This isn't aimed at current smokers. It is aimed at stopping smokers of the future. A good idea, in my opinion. An opinion that has been forged by a 30 year smoking career... now thankfully behind me.

---------- Post added 21-01-2015 at 23:41 ----------

Not bothered at all. I smoke and I need to give up, this won't do a darned thing for that though.

I have some advice for you Tim.

Just stop.

It really is that easy. Don't light the next one and go from there.

Bit puzzled. Thought they had decided to wait for more evidence from other places.

It still has yet to be approved by MP's.

Australia have done it and initially saw a reduction when introduced. Figures now show that the numbers of smokers has now in fact risen despite plain packaging.

If its trying to stop young smokers then it will fail as its cost and not packaging they are interested in.