“Twelve New Zealanders die prematurely every day from smoking-related illnesses – each of these deaths is preventable”, Lotu-Iiga said.
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But Mr McGrady warned they were not a magic solution and needed to work in conjunction with bans on advertising and smoking, along with higher taxes.
Douglas Bettcher, the WHO’s director for the prevention of non-communicable diseases, says the point of plain packaging is to reduce demand for tobacco by reducing the attractiveness of these products. A law is expected to be passed this year with the changes enforced by early next year.
The prices of bidi and smokeless tobacco are also lowest in Bangladesh and these tobacco products are getting cheaper here day by day. “It kills the glamour, which is appropriate for a product that kills people”.
Anti-tobacco activists believe the introduction of plain cigarette packaging in Thailand will reduce tobacco consumption, but smokers disagree.
According to the World Health Organization, approximately one person dies from a disease caused by tobacco every 6 seconds, equivalent to nearly 6 million people a year.
The second country to pass a plain packaging legislation was Ireland, in March 2015, and is preparing to introduce the measure, according to the World Health Organization release.
Australia has enforced plain pack regulations since 2012 with good results, he added, while the United Kingdom, Ireland and France recently voted to do the same. “Tobacco’s impact goes beyond public health, stymieing the growth prospects of developing economies and burdening taxpayers and health systems whose finite resources could be better used elsewhere”, said Singh.
Five countries challenged Australia’s legislation at the World Trade Organization for breach of worldwide trade law, including on trademarks and geographical indications. “Tobacco is a highly addictive, lethal product and should not be sold in packages made to be more attractive”. Imperial Tobacco has already announced they will fight what it calls any excessive, ineffective regulation arguing it has the right to brand the products like any other company. That means restrictions or bans on logos, colours, brand images and promotional material on standardised packs of cigarettes that can, however, carry graphic health warnings.
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A move to restrict the visual appeal of tobacco products is gaining ground.
