Many countries now have rules where the packets of cigarette show people suffering serious health concerns. This is also said to work well.
I'm also sure no smoking indoors or on public streets laws works to reduce smoking well too.
I'm also sure no smoking indoors or on public streets laws works to reduce smoking well too.
I think we can both agree that taxation is the better ‘value’ policy [negative costs are hard to beat], but studies such as the described at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4396458/ suggest that generic packaging has positive effects too.
The plain packaging with disgusting imagery as used in Australia has been shown to be effective in reducing youth smoking. The less people try smoking when young, the less continue smoking when older.
The tobacco industry's own studies show that their branding is an important part of getting people to start smoking initially.
The smokes are kept behind a counter here to prevent theft. I buy a pack from a 14ish year old supermarket employee/girl. She turned around to get it, gazed over the packaging looking for the one I ordered, then she looked away, her head sunk between the shoulders and she made a face as if she just saw someone eat a baby. Took her a good 4 seconds to get back her senses and face the wall of death for a second trial.