Tobacco packaging ban needs to be debated

Further to Cliona McCormack’s letter (Irish Examiner, Aug 9) the following needs to be considered in relation to the debate regarding the introduction by law of plain packaging for tobacco products in Ireland.

Far from describing standardised ‘plain’ packaging as a novel way of stopping youngsters smoking it is hardly a novelty when it has been tried without producing any results.

In Australia where this was introduced in Dec 2012 there is no evidence that smoking levels have altered despite the duty on tobacco also being raised.