The Canadian Lung Association congratulates the British House of Commons for adopting plain packaging for cigarettes and urges the Canadian government to follow the United Kingdom’s lead.
The British government has approved final regulations for standardized packaging (also known as “plain packaging”) for tobacco products. This means that from May 2016 every cigarette package will look the same except for a simple font indicating the brand name. The packages would also feature large health warnings with graphic photos.
“We urge the Canadian government to introduce similar legislation to reduce smoking rates in Canada,” says Margaret Bernhardt-Lowdon, a tobacco issues spokesperson for the Canadian Lung Association. “If you strip away the attractive packaging, you remove that carefully crafted allure.”
According to the World Health Organization, studies have revealed that plain packaging reduces the attractiveness of the product, particularly to women and youth. Studies have also shown that, when combined with large graphic health warnings, plain-packaging measures increase awareness about the risks related to tobacco consumption, encouraging more people to quit and fewer to start.1
Since introducing plain packaging in December 2012, Australia has already seen a significant reduction in smoking rates, falling from 15.1% to 12.8%.2
Britain will be the third country in the world to introduce standardized tobacco packaging, following Australia and most recently Ireland.
About the Canadian Lung Association
Established in 1900, The Lung Association is one of Canada’s oldest and most respected health charities, and the leading national organization for science-based information, research, education, support programs and advocacy on lung heath issues.
Media contact:
Janis Hass
Director of Marketing and Communications
Canadian Lung Association
613-569-6411 ext. 252
jhass@lung.ca
