British government advocates plain, unbranded cigarette packets

Reportedly, the new legislation is in favor of no color, graphics, or logo on cigarette packets and insists that cigarette manufacturers go in for plain packets that only contain the mandatory health warning and nothing else.

With the tough new tobacco rules, the United Kingdom is going to lead the way for other countries and a similar legislation is expected to be announced by Australia and the European parliament in Brussels sometime next year.

The new laws will be made public on the national 'No Smoking Day' that falls on Wednesday.

“It is hoped the measure will help kickstart the falling numbers of people who are quitting. The latest figures show that in 2008-9 smokers made up 22 percent of the population of the UK. Although that is lower than the 1996 figure of 26 percent, the long term pattern suggests that the numbers of people quitting is slowing down,” informed a government spokesperson.

Act will help make cigarettes less attractive
The new ordinary cigarette packets are less attractive and appealing to people, especially younger ones, who are increasingly trying their hands on cigarette smoking.

This measure comes in line with similar steps to curb smoking, like a complete ban on advertising any tobacco product through any media, banning smoking in public places and also not allowing tobacco companies sponsor academic or sports events.

Even the cost of cigarettes has been raised so that even if people do not give up on smoking, they smoke less.

Briton is amongst the leading nations in the world that has the highest number of smokers and it also tops the list in prevalent number of lung cancer cases.

Increasing cost may help give up smoking
According to the National Council against Smoking, there has been a phenomenal increase in the number of people quitting smoking, in recent times.

“With a pack of twenty cigarettes now costing 80 cents more, so-called sin taxes which are increased annually are making the habit even more expensive. Upping the price of cigarettes is an effective means of getting smokers to quit,” said council member Peter Ucko.

“We’d like to call it health tax rather than sin tax, because that is what it is. It helps people to stop smoking... Price... is the single biggest factor in getting people who do smoke to stop smoking,” he concluded.

Nations worldwide are implementing steps to help put an end to smoking as it is the leading cause of many severe lung diseases, some of which can also cause death.