Will plain packaging stop people smoking?

Plain packaging will not completely 'stop' anyone from smoking, but it will help. I guess an example of what a plain packaging looks like would be helpful. 

Smokers are addicted to the nicotine not the packaging. Plus I think the packaging should stay as it is (maybe include more health warnings).

What ultimately stops smokers from smoking...is a strong will!  

Lindsay

And since 2004 all bars have had well supported smoking areas. Just as well for the bars too - if not, most would have closed by now. Most are struggling to keep their heads above water as it is.

Well speedfreak43, yes smoking is anti social, it is going to cause most people that partake cancer and other diseases, and classic symptoms of denial surface when smokers start stating statistics about life-long smokers living to grand old ages, and non-smokers happily passive smoking amongst their mates in the interests of a rewarding social life,  happy to inhale even though second-hand cigarette smoke contains poisonous chemicals such as arsenic, hydrogen cyanide, ammonia and carbon monoxide. I'm not sure which bar you are referring to but licensed premises (bars, restaurants, cafes, sports clubs, casinos) became smokefree indoors from 10 December 2004. Time to stop the fantasy and get real.

Brianr: Do you really think that smoking is anti-social? Perhaps you should frequent some bars more often. A lot of the time nowadays there are more people in the smoking area than at the bar, and more often than not, a lot of those are non-smokers who don-t wish to be left sitting by themselves when their friends go out.

Everlast: I like your plan of putting the smoke prices up by 5 times their current value. As alchohol is a worse social problem, we should put the price of this up ten fold at the same time. Obviously, neither of these plans will work as it will only drive them underground and make the gangs richer.

Let's not forget to say happy birthday to the 103 year old lady who was in the news in the last few days. She celebrated her day with alchohol and a cigarette 

My father died at age 67 from emphysema leading to a heart attack. I remember that not long before he died we had to get a taxi to go 2 city blocks from the car park to the theatre. Much worse was watching my mother die 30 years later from pulmonary fibrosis probably brought on from living in a smoke environment, she never smoked. I do not blame my father, he did not know and was given cigarettes when in the army during WW2.

I had asthma as a child but it left me after I moved from home. I am now 69 and tramp regularly and doctors tell me I have very little chance of a heart attack but I avoid smokers like the plague. I object to them smoking at bus stops and hold my nose when passing them in the street. No smoker would be invited to my house or into my car. Government banning smoking would not work, just reduce the places where it is legal, preferably only in their own home if they have no children.

Just put the price up to $100 a pack now . . . that will prevent people from taking it up, it will be a lot harder to stop the smokers now, but it will help.

The tobacco companies are the world's biggest drug pushers, but people cannot see that.

@Plain Talking: Regardless of what age group you think the advertising is aimed at, what must be remembered is that you need to be 18 to purchase cigarettes. At this age you are considered an adult and therefore should be able to make an informed decision. Also, by this time one would have been able to have a drivers licence and make babies for some years which are a much larger responsibility.

Everyone knows what a cigarette is, no matter what age. Plain packaging, if it is ever approved, will make not one bit of difference other than to relieve the taxpayer of yet more to implement its introduction

It does not matter how cigarettes or tobacco products are packaged, it will make no difference to sales. The fact is that tobacco is highly addictive, evidenced by the high number of people with cancer or other smoking related diseases still cannot face to give up their smokes. It is a drug, and as such it is time the Government stopped turing a blind eye for the sake of their considerable income from tobacco taxes and passed some legislation banning these products from sale.

Their argument would be that they make more in tax than it costs them in health care, but immorally they let it go on and on. People who get up in arms about anti-smoking lobbies and probably my comments here are probably smokers themselves. My message to them and anyone who smokes is wake up to yourself and stop being so foolish.

I have just seen my father go through his final months with lung cancer, smoked all his adult life and had the staunch it-wont-happen-to-me stance, but it was the most gut wrenching thing I have ever had to witness, and if I stop one person from smoking, then my message has been a success. [abridged]

Plain packaging is about taking away the persuasive advertising on cigarette packets so that they are no longer attractive to those who might start smoking.

It is our young people that are targeted by the advertising on cigarette packets.  Remember, most of those who start smoking for the first time are young.

We need plain packaging if only to deter those that are vulnerbale to the attractive packaging. 

See what kids think of advertising on ciggarette packets here:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPV8ffcOjN0

Whoever thought up this lame idea is obviously not a smoker, and is trying to justify their salary. A smoker couldn't care less about the packaging. All they are interested in is having a cigarette.