Olive Coulored smoke packets

[Sparky]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-19264245

As of December 1st, All Cigarette packages will be an Olive colour with only huge warning labels and the name of the brand in small writing at the bottom. They do this hoping it will reduce the amount of smokers, seeing though Olive is the colour the majority of smokers find the least appalling.

This has got to be one of the most stupidest things I have ever heard. If you're addicted to smokes it don't matter what the colour is of the packet. It wouldn't matter if the smoke its self was bright orange, Smokers will still smoke. It's not like people will see somebody else's smoke packet and think to themselve's that packet would make a great fashion accessory I might take up smoking so I can show it off. The government should of stopped with making it illegal to smoke in any public place like bus stops and shopping centre's and train stations ect...

 

[Remix]

You're missing the point Sparky. The point isn't to stop current smokers from smoking. They won't stop unless they want to or they die. The point is to stop new smokers from starting and removing any sense of brand identity from cigarettes and making all packets an ugly colour with large warning labels will help discourage new, young smokers from starting.

Smoking is already a minority occupation and it's only going to become more so as time passes.

 

[Sparky]

You're missing the point Sparky. The point isn't to stop current smokers from smoking.

They went around asking smokers what colour do they find the most unappealing. they must of voted olive colour It's hoping people smoke won't like the new packageing so they give up.

They won't stop unless they want to or they die.

Exactly, why all this senseless shit to get smokers to give up.

The point is to stop new smokers from starting and removing any sense of brand identity from cigarettes and making all packets an ugly colour with large warning labels will help discourage new, young smokers from starting.

Still don't make any sense, people start smoking because they're offered one. Who has ever brought a full packet of smokes before starting up smoking? You don't just wake up one morning and go right, today I'm going to start smoking. I'll buy a packet of Horizon as they have clouds on the packet.

Smoking is already a minority occupation and it's only going to become more so as time passes.

I was at movie world yesterday, there was more people in the smokers area as there was lined up for the most popular rollercoaster and the food court...
The only reason it seems like a minority occupation is because it's banned from smoking in public places.

 

[Remix]

They went around asking smokers what colour do they find the most unappealing. they must of voted olive colour It's hoping people smoke won't like the new packageing so they give up.

It'll have a negligable effect on that. But the real impact will be made by people not wanting to pick up the packets in the first place. Let me explain why this would reduce the number of smokers anyway.

S = Total number of smokers
C = Number of people who currently smoke
D = Number of people who used to smoke but died
N = Number of people who start smoking on a regular basis.

We'll ignore people quitting for two reasons. Most of them will relapse, and we both agree the new packaging won't have much impact.

S = C - D + N

Makes sense, right? The number of new smokers has to be equal to the number who die in order for the total number of smokers to remain constant. This law will have little impact on the number of people dieing for some time (ergo, D remains constant). However N will decrease in line with the effect of adding warnings and removing advertisements. Thus the number of smokers goes down. Since the money cigarette companies make is directly proportional to S, they don't like that at all.

Exactly, why all this senseless shit to get smokers to give up.

1) Because cigarettes are dangerous. Part of the government's job to protect its citizens. You can accept that or I'll point out the various laws in place to protect workers.
2) The Australian government pays a lot of money for healthcare. In one year, smoking was responsible for over 42,000 hospital admissions. And that's just in New South Wales. Thus cutting the number of smokers is in the interests of its own wallet in a recession. Seriously, healthcare is incredibly expensive and it gets more expensive every year.
3) You're a moron if you think that branding and advertising doesn't sway people to start smoking. Taking away the one way that cigarette companies can still advertise themselves is going to affect their bottom line. That's why they tried to stop the law going into effect.
4) Fuck the tobacco industry. Those ***** put ammonia into their cigarettes for the sole purpose of increasing nicotine uptake while claiming innocence about the addictiveness of nicotine. Fuck them in the ass with a lit cigar

3) Still don't make any sense, people start smoking because they're offered one. Who has ever brought a full packet of smokes before starting up smoking? You don't just wake up one morning and go right, today I'm going to start smoking. I'll buy a packet of Horizon as they have clouds on the packet.

Specifically, one of the reasons people start smoking is they think it's cool.

Would anything that comes out of this look cool? Also, putting health warnings on boxes (while still allowing them their branding) has been effective at reducing the number of new smokers and persuading old ones to quit. (i.e. what? These things could affect my junk? I'm quitting!). Removing TV advertising has dropped cigarette consumption in some countries by up to 17%. This will have a similar effect. Which again, is why cigarette companies fought the law coming into effect.

I was at movie world yesterday, there was more people in the smokers area as there was lined up for the most popular rollercoaster and the food court...
The only reason it seems like a minority occupation is because it's banned from smoking in public places.

No. I say it's a minority occupation because only about 15% of Australian males smoke. This means that 15% of Australian males don't smoke and thus smokers are the minority.

Eventually, cigarettes are going to be made illegal. Get used to that fact now because it is inevitable.

 

[INDYjon22]

People who want to smoke will smoke regardless of the color on the package. This is coming from a smoker who has been trying to quit for awhile. The color of the package will not stop anyone from smoking unless they want to stop smoking. If not, then this new initiative will have no effect whatsoever. Smokers will smoke, they care more about the nicotine then the color. That's just a fact. Could it stop potential smokers? Possibly, but again, smokers are going to smoke, and they won't pay any attention to the color of the pack at all. It just isn't important. If anything it will make people buy cheaper smokes because they won't pay attention to what they are buying. People like me ask for Camel blues, and a color change will just confuse things.

 

[ABMorales787]

Regardless of whether smokers will keep smoking or not, it's still a step taken to reduce smoking. This may not do much for the smokers and it may not really do much discouraging from potential ones, but marketing sure takes a blow. The lack of personal identity on the boxes can potentially hurt sales. Consistent smokers may have their favorite brands, but all. Not to mention it's all the same any new ones.

 

[Harthan]

I don't really see the virtue in protecting anything smoking related. Whether or not it will even have a tangible effect on smoking, who really gives a shit? We are talking about an industry that literally profits by slowly murdering people. I'm not concerned about the efficacy of any regulations; I honestly could not care less what any government would like to do to regulate the smoking industry.

 

[Loveless]

I'm in favour of anything discouraging smoking. The government is slowly strangling the industry, raising taxes, banning advertisement and displays, banning all public areas, all with a view to making it such a minority activity that they can ban it fuss-free in 20 years time. They've got the right idea

 

[Remy LaCroix]

As a casual smoker I am outraged because of the brand identity thing. But I live in Amurrica, so if I could buy these here I would.

So simple yet neat. +5 hipster cred

Anywho, they'll look ugly. It's a great way to discourage newbies from smoking for the reason I mentioned above. If that were to happen here I'd have no reason to buy smokes anymore -- I'd just bum off a few from friends every now and then.

 

[JWGunslinger]

I don't really see the virtue in protecting anything smoking related. Whether or not it will even have a tangible effect on smoking, who really gives a shit? We are talking about an industry that literally profits by slowly murdering people. I'm not concerned about the efficacy of any regulations; I honestly could not care less what any government would like to do to regulate the smoking industry.

Right here. If smokers want to smoke they will, the idea that the color of the box will make anyone decide not to is ridiculous. Unless they start making them taste different or something like that I cant think of anything that will stop it or even hinder sales in the slightest. As soon as they start making them taste like dog shit then I'll get on board and say they're doing something worthwhile but this shit is pathetic and I don't know why they thought it was a worth changing their regular style.

 

[Final Form Snyper.]

I have asked friends who smoke what the difference will be to them once the packets change colour and each of them said in different ways that It's only the packet that changes, not the product it self. Which is why I don't understand the reason. I don't see how changing the packets to an unappealing packet will make any difference besides making conterfeiting easier to do with generic packaging.

So this supposed idea that it will decrease smoking or that having that as the end scenario is crazy. At the end of the day, nicotine will still be Nicotine and the only thing that changes is the packaging.

 

[Tastycles]

I know a guy who works in the tobacco industry, basically trying to buy positions in the cigarette counter display for his company's brands. He reckons that brand identification is so important that being below the third row from the top can absolutely destroy your sales. If making something slightly harder to spot does that, then imagine what removing all branding would do. You'd kill brand loyalty, and as a result you'd slow down the rate at which people get attached. There's basically no argument to be made, because people don't want to appear to be so affected by advertising that people against this are weakened before they start.

 

[Slice]

I think it's really weird to offer people something and then be like... "BUT DON'T BUY IT!"

I smoke casually, and I really don't get what the big deal it. I understand that people get addicted and all that, and some people want to stop but can't, but... I just don't get it xD

Next step; removing all alcohol from the shelves (or at least making all the packaging ugly)! AW YEAAA

 

[HBsam31]

This kind of sums up the whole thread right here. I wouldn't be surprised if I woke up in the morning to see on the news that smoking was made illegal right now. Inevitably I really think it will be illegal. Government has been putting the squeeze on tobacco for a while now and I agree with Loveless on their motive. As for the packaging change I don't know. The people that I know that smoke would buy cigarettes if the were packed in horse shit. As far as hindering new smokers, well if I bought my first pack and saw that guy's mouth that the Nu Sexier Noun posted I would probably give them back. They might be onto something if they made the packs look like that. That said, it is still a blow to their only real way of advertising so it is going to hurt them.