Dr Olivia Maynard Senior Research Associate, School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol
Abstract
Australia was the first country in the world to implement standardised packaging of tobacco products in late 2012. Several research studies have evaluated the impact of standardised packaging and studies are continuing to monitor the impact. The findings of these studies to date will be discussed in the context of the UK and what effects of standardised packaging we could expect to see in the UK in both the short and long-term. The presentation will also include a discussion of how differences in Australia’s vs. the UK’s standardised packaging law, and other tobacco control and e-cigarette policies across the two countries could lead to different impacts of standardised packaging. Other changes to cigarette and rolling tobacco packages that will occur at the same time as standardised packaging, including larger pictorial warnings will also be outlined.
Ongoing research in standardised packaging in the UK will be summarised including, a forthcoming Cochrane review and current plans to evaluate the impact of standardised packaging in the UK and other EU countries. The presentation will finish with a discussion about how the implementation of standardised packaging may offer opportunities for smoking cessation services to engage smokers and possibilities for future research.
