EXPERT REACTION: Australia's plain tobacco packaging didn't reduce number of smokers, and led them to smoke more
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Plain packaging for tobacco in Australia may not have had the desired effects of encouraging smokers to quit and discouraging new smokers from adopting the habit, according to Aussie researchers. They compared Australia with New Zealand, who didn't introduce plain packaging until 2018, and found the plain packaging policy in Australia did not affect smoking prevalence, although it led to smokers spending less on the habit. Smokers spent less mainly because they switched to cheaper brands, the researchers say, and as that cut the cost, they actually ended up smoking more.
Journal/conference: Nature Human Behaviour
Link to research (DOI): 10.1038/s41562-020-00940-6
Organisation/s: James Cook University, The University of Melbourne, Cancer Council Australia, The University of Sydney, The University of Queensland, the Australian Council on Smoking and Health
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Expert Reaction
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