Messaging such as “SMOKING KILLS” and “CAUSES 16 CANCERS” will be plastered on all invidual cigarettes sold and distributed in Australia. Packaging must also contain updated health warnings and sources to helplines.
Australia is the second country in the world, after Canada, to introduce this policy.
Australia became the first country in the world to introduce plain packaging laws for tobacco products back in 2012.
Professor Mike Daube, head of Health Sciences at Curtin University, has been a leader in tobacco control and public health advocacy for over four decades.
He says these labels are a huge step forward in using legislation to help reducing smoking.
“I think the warnings on the cigarette sticks are a very important step forward. They will make a difference because they will alert smokers of the dangers every time, they pick up a cigarette,” he says.
Hear more from Professor Daube. Audio: Leah Al-Hallak.
Professor Daube says there is no one solution to the issue, and it needs a multi-pronged approach.
“There isn’t one miracle solution that will solve the problem, it’s a comprehensive approach that includes regulation, public education, and includes things like warnings.
“We’ve made tremendous progress in reducing smoking, down to about 8% in adults and 2% in young people. It’s still there however, and is still the largest preventable cause of death,” he says.
Velma Domavari is a qualified counselor and hypnotherapist who specializes in helping people quit smoking.
She says these warnings are great and will help people bring their focus to the damage cigarettes are having on their health and body.
“Sometimes people have that very strong relationship with smoking. It’s like a bad friend, if you turn back to them they’ll stab you in the back,” she says.
Velma Domavari talks about the strength of peoples’ relationships with cigarettes. Audio: Leah Al-Hallak.
“I think that the warnings are good because when people start to find oh, I have a lot of coughing they look and see those warnings and think, what about my lungs dying from cancer?” she says.
