Australia is on its way to be the first nation to introduce plain packaging for cigarettes.

What exactly it means?

Scientists indicated that olive green color is the one which is not attracting when a person looks at a package, therefore all packages will be the same olive green color. Moreover no logos and brands will be on cigarette packages, since it is supposed that having a special brand makes a person more stylish and motivates to smoke even more.

The main goal of Australian government is to reduce overall smoking rate among people, which causes $31.5 billion annually. Not only the wealth of people is diminished because of smoking, in addition healthcare problem is a big issue.

The major harm smoking might cause is cancer, emphysema and heart disease. Furthermore it is estimated that smoking shortens life by 10 years or more. There is a question, why people still continue if they know the direct effect on their health and it may cost a smoker thousands of dollars a year? The answer is addiction.

The same as heroin or other addictive drugs, the body and mind quickly gets used to the nicotine in cigarettes that a person needs to have it just to feel normal.

Despite Australian tobacco companies were not pleased by hearing the news about plain packages and some of them have reacted angrily, Robin Hewings, Cancer Research UK’s tobacco control policy manager, welcomed the news.

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About the author

Akzhan Maxutova
Born in Kazakhstan. in 2009 won a national scholarship to study in Australia. Currently a final year student at Griffith university majoring in Economics.