Plainly unlikely to deter

The Government last month confirmed it is to introduce plain packaging for tobacco products.

The announcement was made by Associate Health Minister Tariana Turia, who said it was a ‘‘good day for New Zealand’’.

We asked readers on the Chronicle Facebook page if they thought plain packaging would be an effective way to deter smokers.

These were the responses:

Selina Watson:

Rodney Carroll:

Rebecca Leach:

Aimee Holloway:

James Paterson:

Sharron Pratt:

Sharon Edge:

Danie Van Der Linde:

Nope, if I wanted to start smoking it’s not because the packet does or doesn’t have a picture on it . . . and it would be my choice to smoke or not to.

Not at all. People who already smoke will continue smoking. Youth generally start smoking due to seeing others smoking, not because of the nice packaging. Have they learnt nothing?

They put pictures on the packets to discourage people and that still didn’t work. And where do we stop if we do go through with it? Plain packaging on takeaways to discourage overweight people from eating them? I’m not a smoker but I cannot see this working. Put the price up and tax the cigarettes more, that would be a better option.

We already have that in Australia; it makes no difference.

I don’t think so. I think the education programmes they run in schools have some positive effect though, after seeing them first hand. The Government should put more money into that.

Oh, however will I give myself a sense of class distinction from Horizon/Holiday smokers now? Pah. Just ban them already! I’ll put my hand up to be part of the last generation of smokers that have to go cold turkey, so that there won’t be any cigarettes on shelves at all for the next generation. Anyone else? Maybe a petition to the Government asking them to reshuffle their finances to accommodate the deficit that banning cigarettes would create before the next budget, then ban them on budget day.

We could all make budget day 2013 quit smoking day. What a momentous event that would be in the history of New Zealand. I think 99 per cent of people would find quitting MUCH easier if they weren’t able to buy them.

Really? What difference is that going to make?

I feel plain packaging won’t make an ounce of difference in my opinion. Are they going to start plain labelling alcohol bottles and hiding them behind cupboard doors in alcohol shops? I doubt it! Alcohol affects a lot more people in many ways, than the smoking of tobacco does. PS. I am a non smoker.

Well from a company’s point of view I think it is pretty ridiculous that someone has the right to fiddle with copyrights and trademarks. What about freedom of expressions, and press? How is this different than infringing on patent rights? I don’t support smoking but this is ridiculous!