Quit Victoria has welcomed the news New Zealand is moving towards introducing plain packaging, following the lead of the Australian Government.
Government ministers agreed in principle today to introduce plain packaging for tobacco products.
Quit Executive Director Fiona Sharkie said the fact that the New Zealand government will start consultation on the tobacco reform showed momentum was building worldwide for plain packaging.
“We’ve never seen the tobacco companies fight this hard against a tobacco control reform; they know once one country introduces plain packaging, many others are likely to follow,” she said.
“The tobacco industry’s fierce opposition to plain packaging is proof of the branding’s worth and we congratulate New Zealand on moving towards making cigarettes less attractive to young people by through this important public health reform.”