Plain Paper Packets

From the BBC:

The government is considering plans to strip all branding from cigarette packs sold in England in a bid to make smoking appear less attractive….

Research published in Australia has suggested that cigarette packets have increasingly become an important marketing tool as restrictions on advertising and sponsorship have been brought in.

Mr Lansley told the Times he was open-minded, but that he believed attractive packaging helped recruit smokers from a young age. More than 300,000 children aged under 16 in England try smoking each year, according to government figures.

The consultation will also examine if plain packaging could lead to a rise in cigarette packets being sold on the black market.

Areas to think about:

• What are the pros & cons of such a move? Consider health, financial, civil liberties, and any other relevant issues.