Australia is to become the First country to ban branding and logos on tobacco products.

Tobacco companies would be required to use logo-free, pure (without text or colourful images) cigarettes packaging. The Australia’s government thinks that it will be then less drawing.

The plans will start off on 1 July 2012. The government wants to take place on the packets with a health warning. The brand name will be put back to the bottom.

The government also wants to lift the cigarette tax by 25%.

The prime minister knows that the cigarette companies will hate it and he’s right! They’ll take it Legal action. The reason why they take it to court is because the users won’t see the difference between the brands anymore.

Retailers said that the raise of the tax will damage the economy and that there will be a lot of people who will sell cigarettes on the black market.

Mick Daly, the chairman of the Australian supermarket chain IGA said that it’s just because the government needs to do something good for the persons health. They don’t think to much about the consequences.

The tobacco companies can demand a compensation for the changes. This will be payed with the money of the taxpayers.

I think it’s not a good idea. The change of the packaging won’t make a difference. It will be less attractive but when you smoke you don’t look a lot after the packet. Maybe it will hold people who wants to smoke.

The tobacco industries are accurate about the fact that they ask a compensation because the governement captured the property rights. I think there aren’t a lot of countries who will folow this case.

Written by: Sofie lamon

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/apr/29/austra.0lia-ban-branding-cigarette-packets