Plain packaging on cigarette packets made smoking less attractive to smokers, says study

A cigarette packet with health warning advertising in August 2013 in Australia. A total of 103 countries had adopted strong graphic health warnings on cigarette packets by the end of 2022. File photo: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

The introduction of plain packaging on packets of cigarettes in 2018 achieved the desired policy objective of making the habit less attractive to smokers, according to new research.

A study on the attitudes of Irish smokers to the use of plain packaging found it significantly reduced the appeal of cigarettes and increased the effectiveness of graphic health warnings on packs. The policy also gained additional support from smokers following the change.