New Zealand Can Lead the World in Tobacco Control: Plain Packaging 2.0

Thursday, March 10th, 2016 | Kate Sloane | 1 Comment

Janet Hoek, Co-Director, ASPIRE2025 and Professor of Marketing and Philip Gendall, ASPIRE2025 and Emeritus Professor of Marketing

wallet what got to showThe Prime Minister’s decision to progress plain packaging legislation “sooner rather than later” is an important step towards our smokefree 2025 goal. There are four key areas for improving on Australia’s legislation to maximise the effectiveness of plain packaging:

  • preventing the proliferation of brand variant names;
  • improving the pictorial warning labels so these resonate more effectively with smokers;
  • introducing dissuasive cigarette sticks and rolling papers, and
  • foregrounding Quitline information and supportive cessation messages on packages.

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Optimising the effects of plain packaging for tobacco – making Quitline information more salient

Monday, November 10th, 2014 | Kate Sloane | 1 Comment

Professor Janet Hoek and Emeritus Professor Philip Gendall

Given plain packaging of tobacco products will likely increase the tension many smokers experience, simple measures that enhance smokers’ access to cessation support, and affirm their decision to try and quit, could increase the number and success of quit attempts. This blog post details a just published study on this topic. It also suggests that New Zealand policy makers should ensure plain packaging regulations improve the current presentation of Quitline information and provide smokers with support to manage the dissonance plain packaging is likely to elicit.

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