Standardised cigarette packaging ‘can reduce number of smokers’

Introducing standardised cigarette packaging can make a tangible difference in reducing the number of smokers, according to new research.

A team of Cochrane Review researchers from the UK and Canada came to this conclusion after assessing the results of 51 studies examining the impact of standardised packaging on tobacco attitudes and behaviour.

Only one country – Australia – had implemented such a measure at the time of this review, but reductions in smoking behaviour was shown to be supported by routinely collected data from the Australian government.

Meanwhile, other studies indicated that the appeal of smoking is lower with standardised packaging, which may help to explain the observed decline in prevalence. There was also no evidence suggesting that standardised packaging may increase tobacco use.

Currently, there is no data on the long-term impact of this approach, but the amount of evidence will continue to expand as more countries implement it and as studies assessing the extended effects of the Australian policy become available.

Professor Ann McNeill from King's College London said: "The evidence available to us, whilst limited at this time, indicates that standardised packaging may reduce smoking prevalence."

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