View source for Plain tobacco packaging

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2017}}
[[File:Australian cigarette pack with health warning December 2012.jpg|thumb|Plain cigarette packaging, as required in [[Australia]] since 2012: the pack has an [[olive drab]] colour ([[Pantone 448 C]]), with the brand name printed in a standard font and size – no logo, other colour or branding allowed.]]
{{short description|Legally mandated packaging of tobacco products without any brand imagery}}
'''Plain tobacco packaging''', also known as '''generic''', '''neutral''', '''standardised''' or '''homogeneous packaging''', is packaging of tobacco products, typically [[cigarette]]s, without any [[brand]]ing (colours, imagery, corporate logos and [[trademark]]s), including only the brand name in a mandated size, font and place on the pack, in addition to the [[Tobacco packaging warning messages|health warnings]] and any other legally mandated information such as toxic constituents and tax-paid stamps. The appearance of all tobacco packs is standardised, including the colour of the pack.

The removal of branding on [[cigarette pack]]aging is a [[regulation of nicotine marketing]] and aims to deter [[smoking]] by removal of positive associations of brands (including design and symbol) with the consumption of tobacco. It also aims to remove an available avenue of [[tobacco advertising|brand advertising]] for cigarette companies.

[[Australia]] was the first country in the world to introduce plain packaging, with all packets sold from 1 December 2012 being sold in logo-free, drab dark brown packaging. There has been opposition from [[Tobacco industry|tobacco companies]] to plain packaging laws, some of which have sued the Australian government in Australian and international courts. Since the Australian government won the court cases, several other countries have enacted plain packaging laws.

Plain packaging was included in guidelines to the World Health Organization [[Framework Convention on Tobacco Control]] (WHO FCTC). On 31 May 2016, on [[World No Tobacco Day]], the [[World Health Organization|WHO]] called on governments to get ready for plain packaging of tobacco products.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/world-no-tobacco-day-2016_b_10255406|title=World No Tobacco Day 2016: Get Ready for Plain Packaging|date=2 June 2016|website=HuffPost}}</ref>

==History==
[[File:Tobacco distributor after plain tobacco packaging.jpg|thumb|Tobacco distributor in [[Belgium]] after the introduction of plain packaging (April 2020): clients choose first their brands before getting it at the desk]]
Plain packaging appears to have been first suggested in 1989 by the [[New Zealand Department of Health]]'s Toxic Substances Board which recommended that cigarettes be sold only in white packs with black text and no colours or logos.<ref>{{cite news|title=The case for the plain packaging of tobacco products |url=http://www.acosh.org/resources/GenericPackaging.pdf |access-date=13 October 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120320142534/http://www.acosh.org/resources/GenericPackaging.pdf |archive-date=20 March 2012 }}</ref>

Public health officials in [[Canada]] developed proposals for plain packaging of tobacco products in 1994. A parliamentary committee reviewed the evidence and concluded that plain packaging could be a "reasonable step in the overall strategy to reduce tobacco consumption".<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_7XprHvrUrAC&q=%22reasonable+step+in+the+overall+strategy+to+reduce+tobacco+consumption%22&pg=PA143|title=Smoke & Mirrors: The Canadian Tobacco War|last=Cunningham|first=Rob|date=1996|publisher=IDRC|isbn=9780889367555|language=en}}</ref> This effort did not succeed due to trademark right concerns, specifically those related to Canada's commitments to the [[World Trade Organization]] and under the [[North American Free Trade Agreement]].<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=D31VBAAAQBAJ&q=Canada_Standing_Committee_on_Health_Report_-_Toward_Zero_Consumption_Jun_94.pdf&pg=PA28|title=Czech Yearbook of International Law - Regulatory Measures and Foreign Trade - 2013|last1=Belohlávek|first1=Alexander J.|last2=Cerný|first2=Filip|last3=Rozehnalova|first3=Prof JUDr Naděžda|date=2013-04-01|publisher=Juris Publishing, Inc.|isbn=9781578233342|language=en}}</ref>

[[Australia]], with the enactment of the Tobacco Plain Packaging Act on 12 December 2011,<ref name=NYT5613 /> became the first country in the world to require tobacco products to be sold in plain packaging. Products manufactured after 1 October 2012, and all on sale after 1 December 2012 must be in the plain packaging.<ref name="ABC News">{{cite news |title=Cigarette plain packaging laws pass Parliament |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-11-21/cig-plain-packaging-laws-pass/3684374 |publisher=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]] |date=21 November 2011}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2012C00687/Html/Text|title=Tobacco Plain Packaging Regulations 2011|website=www.legislation.gov.au}}</ref>

Following Australia's lead (2012) a number of other countries also began requiring standardized packaging including [[France]] (January 2017); the [[United Kingdom]] (May 2017); [[New Zealand]] (June 2018); [[Norway]] (July 2018); [[Ireland]] (September 2018); [[Thailand]] and [[Uruguay]] (December 2019); [[Saudi Arabia]], [[Israel]], [[Slovenia]]<ref>{{ cite news|work=Reuters|title=Slovenia passes law enforcing plain tobacco packaging from 2020|url=https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-slovenia-tobacco-idUKKBN15U2BI|access-date=2 November 2018}}</ref> and [[Turkey]] (January 2020); [[Canada]] (February 2020); [[Singapore]] (July 2020); [[Belgium]] (January 2021) and [[The Netherlands]] (October 2021).

==Evidence==
Only indirect evidence of plain packaging's effectiveness was available until its release in Australia. On 24 May 2011, [[Cancer Council Australia]] released a review of the [[evidence]] supporting the introduction of plain packaging to reduce [[Youth smoking|youth uptake]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cancer.org.au/Newsmedia/mediareleases/mediareleases2011/24May2011.htm|title=Media releases 2011|author=Cancer Council Australia|work=cancer.org.au}}</ref> The review had been conducted by Quit Victoria and [[Cancer Council Victoria]]. The review includes 24 peer-reviewed studies conducted over two decades, suggesting that packaging plays an important role in encouraging young people to try cigarettes.<ref>[http://www.cancer.org.au/content/pdf/CancerControlPolicy/PositionStatements/TCUCCVBkgrndResrchPlainPak270511ReEnd_FINAL_May27.pdf Cancer Council Australia Position Statement], May 2011</ref> First impressions in Australia indicated that smokers feel that cigarettes taste worse in plain packaging – an unexpected side effect.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/national/plain-packaging-leaves-bad-taste-in-smokers-mouths/news-story/f62ad42510dbede93e95a09b093f41b2 | title=Plain packaging leaves bad taste in smokers' mouths | first1=Sue | last1=Dunlevy | first2=Petra | last2=Starke | newspaper=Herald Sun | location=Australia | date=30 November 2012 | access-date=27 November 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.theage.com.au/national/plain-packs-put-off-smokers-20121129-2aitp.html | location=Melbourne | work=The Age | title=Plain packs 'put off' smokers}}</ref> In addition, evidence from quantitative studies, qualitative research and the internal documents of the tobacco industry consistently identify packaging as an important part of tobacco promotion. Smoking among Australian teenagers (12–17 year old and 18–19 year old) decreased between 2013 and 2016 from 3.4% to 1.5% and from 10.8% to 4.6% respectively.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/illicit-use-of-drugs/ndshs-2016-key-findings/contents/tobacco-smoking|title=National Drug Strategy Household Survey (NDSHS) 2016—key findings , Tobacco smoking|website=Australian Institute of Health and Welfare|language=en-AU|access-date=2020-01-20}}</ref>

There have been three studies that have assessed the change in smoking prevalence or in the sales of cigarettes subsequent to Plain Packaging (PP) implementation. A study by Scollo et al.<ref>Scollo, M., Zacher, M., Coomber, K., Bayly, M. & Wakefield, M. (2015). Changes in use of types of tobacco products by pack sizes and price segments, prices paid and consumption following the introduction of plain packaging in Australia. Tobacco Control, suppl.2, Vol.24 ii66. DOI:10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2014-052071</ref> reported consumption did not seem to decline in the year immediately after PP but declined following the December 2013 tax increase, from 14.8% to 14%, i.e. a decline of 5.7%. It was based upon a national cross-sectional telephone surveys of adult smokers conducted from April 2012 (6 months before transition to plain packaging ) to March 2014 (15 months afterwards). Conclusions were that the introduction of PP was associated with an increase in use of value brands, likely due to increased numbers available, and smaller increases in prices for these brands relative to the premium brands.

A US consultant was commissioned by the Australian Government's Department of Health to undertake a study of the effectiveness of Plain Packaging legislation on smoking prevalence. The consultant's report<ref>Chipty, T. (2016). Study of the impact of the tobacco plain packaging measure on smoking prevalence in Australia. Australian Government, Department of Health. https://ris.govspace . gov.au/2016/02/26tobacco-plain-packaging/.</ref> found that there were fewer smokers after the PP legislation was implemented as there was a statistically significant decline in smoking rates. The Report's Conclusion states: "In terms of order of magnitude, smoking prevalence is 0.55 percentage points lower over the period December 2012 to September 2015 than it would have been without the packaging changes. For reasons I have explained, this effect is likely understated and is expected to grow over time." Data used was from a commercial firm, Roy Morgan, that conducted a nationally representative, repeated cross-sectional survey that asked each of about 4,500 participants aged 14 and above a series of smoking-related questions. The sample is different each month.

A further study by Bonfrer et al.<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Bonfrer | first1 = A. | last2 = Chintagunta | first2 = P.K. | last3 = Roberts | first3 = J.H. | last4 = Corkindale | first4 = D. | date = 2019 | title = Assessing the Sales Impact of Plain Packaging Regulation for Cigarettes: Evidence from Australia | journal = Marketing Science | volume = 39 | issue = 1 | pages = 234–252 | doi = 10.1287/mksc.2019.1164| doi-access = free }}</ref> found that overall cigarette consumption in Australia dropped by 7.5 per cent over the post PP implementation period investigated. Using the retail cigarette industry's quality classifications (value, mainstream, and premium), it was found that market share declined among premium and mainstream brands but increased for the cheaper value brands. Accompanying the declines in market shares, price sensitivity increased for mainstream and value brands across both grocery and convenience channels, according to the research. The only exception was short-term price sensitivity for premium and mainstream brands in the convenience channel, which was observed to decline following PP implementation. This study used 4-weekly data on 42 brands on their sales volumes and prices through (a) Supermarkets and, separately, through (b) Convenience stores, in Australia. The period covered was from late 2008 through to mid-2014, that is covering sales both before and after the implementation of PP. A distinguishing methodological feature of this study was that it used a control to assess changes in sales, compared to the methods used in the earlier studies.

Plain packaging can change people's attitudes towards smoking and may help reduce the prevalence of smoking, including among minors, and increase attempts to quit.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=McNeill|first1=A|last2=Gravely|first2=S|last3=Hitchman|first3=SC|last4=Bauld|first4=L|last5=Hammond|first5=D|last6=Hartmann-Boyce|first6=J|title=Tobacco packaging design for reducing tobacco use.|journal=[[The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews]]|date=27 April 2017|volume=2017|issue=4|pages=CD011244|doi=10.1002/14651858.CD011244.pub2|pmid=28447363|pmc=6478110|url=https://kclpure.kcl.ac.uk/ws/files/67277511/McNeill_et_al_2017_The_Cochrane_Library.pdf}}
*{{cite news |author=Suzi Gage |date=2017-04-27 |title=Standardised cigarette packaging is on its way, but will it reduce smoking? |newspaper=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/science/sifting-the-evidence/2017/apr/27/standardised-cigarette-packaging-is-on-its-way-but-will-it-reduce-smoking}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last1=Diethelm|first1=P|last2=Farley|first2=TM|title=Refuting tobacco-industry funded research: empirical data shows decline in smoking prevalence following introduction of plain packaging in Australia|journal= Tobacco Prevention & Cessation|date=November 2015|volume=1|doi=10.18332/tpc/60650|doi-access=free}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last1=Diethelm|first1=P|last2=Farley|first2=TM|title=Re-analysing tobacco industry funded research on the effect of plain packaging on minors in Australia: Same data but different results|journal= Tobacco Prevention & Cessation|date=November 2017|volume=3|page=130| issue=November|doi=10.18332/tpc/78508|pmid=32432204|pmc=7232792|doi-access=free}}</ref>

Studies comparing existing branded cigarette packs with plain cardboard packs bearing the name and number of cigarettes in small standard font, found plain packs to be significantly less attractive.<ref>{{Cite journal
| last1 = Wakefield | first1 = M. A.
| author-link1 = Melanie Wakefield
| last2 = Germain | first2 = D.
| last3 = Durkin | first3 = S. J.
| doi = 10.1136/tc.2008.026732
| title = How does increasingly plainer cigarette packaging influence adult smokers' perceptions about brand image? An experimental study
| journal = Tobacco Control
| volume = 17
| issue = 6
| pages = 416–421
| year = 2008
| pmid = 18827035
| pmc =2590906
}} {{npsn|date=June 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.tobaccolabels.ca/prohibit/canadaandu|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110914011324/http://www.tobaccolabels.ca/prohibit/canadaandu|title=Rootman I, Flay BR. A Study on Youth Smoking – Plain Packaging, Health Warnings, Event Marketing and Price Reductions (1995)|archive-date=14 September 2011}}</ref> Additionally, research in which young adults were instructed to use plain cigarette packs and subsequently asked about their feelings towards them confirmed findings that plain packaging increased negative perceptions and feelings about the pack and about smoking. Plain packs also increased behaviours such as hiding or covering the pack, smoking less around others, going without cigarettes and increased thinking about quitting. Almost half of the participants reported that plain packs had either increased the above behaviours or reduced consumption.<ref>{{Cite journal
| last1 = Moodie | first1 = C.
| last2 = MacKintosh | first2 = A. M.
| last3 = Hastings | first3 = G.
| last4 = Ford | first4 = A.
| title = Young adult smokers' perceptions of plain packaging: A pilot naturalistic study
| doi = 10.1136/tc.2011.042911
| journal = Tobacco Control
| volume = 20
| issue = 5
| pages = 367–373
| year = 2011
| pmid = 21752795
| s2cid = 19862818
| url = https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00650656/file/PEER_stage2_10.1136%252Ftc.2011.042911.pdf
}} {{npsn|date=June 2017}}</ref> Auction experiments indicated that a likely outcome of plain packaging would be to drive down demand of tobacco products.<ref>{{Cite journal
| last1 = Thrasher | first1 = J. F.
| last2 = Rousu | first2 = M. C.
| last3 = Hammond | first3 = D.
| last4 = Navarro | first4 = A.
| last5 = Corrigan | first5 = J. R.
| title = Estimating the impact of pictorial health warnings and "plain" cigarette packaging: Evidence from experimental auctions among adult smokers in the United States
| doi = 10.1016/j.healthpol.2011.06.003
| journal = Health Policy
| volume = 102
| issue = 1
| pages = 41–48
| year = 2011
| pmid = 21763026
}} {{npsn|date=June 2017}}</ref>

A 2013 review found that plain packaging increased the importance of health warnings to consumers. Plain packaging in a darker colour was associated with more harmful effects.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Stead|first1=Martine|last2=Moodie|first2=Crawford|last3=Angus|first3=Kathryn|last4=Bauld|first4=Linda|last5=McNeill|first5=Ann|last6=Thomas|first6=James|last7=Hastings|first7=Gerard|last8=Hinds|first8=Kate|last9=O'Mara-Eves|first9=Alison|last10=Kwan|first10=Irene|last11=Purves|first11=Richard I.|last12=Bryce|first12=Stuart L.|last13=Middleton|first13=Philippa|title=Is Consumer Response to Plain/Standardised Tobacco Packaging Consistent with Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Guidelines? A Systematic Review of Quantitative Studies|journal=[[PLoS ONE]]|date=16 October 2013|volume=8|issue=10|pages=e75919|doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0075919|pmid=24146791|pmc=3797796|bibcode=2013PLoSO...875919S|doi-access=free}}</ref> Furthermore, plain packaging reduced confusion about health warnings.<ref>{{cite web|title=Plain tobacco packaging: A systematic review|url=http://eppi.ioe.ac.uk/cms/Default.aspx?tabid=3327|website=eppi.ioe.ac.uk}}</ref>

Plain packaging with large, graphic, warnings, was considered to impact on [[smoking cessation]].<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Mays|first1=Darren|last2=Smith|first2=Collin|last3=Kraemer|first3=John|last4=Johnson|first4=Andrea|title=Plain packaging of cigarettes: do we have sufficient evidence?|journal=Risk Management and Healthcare Policy|date=April 2015|pages=21–30|doi=10.2147/RMHP.S63042|pmid=25897269|pmc=4396458|volume=8}}</ref>

There is little evidence yet as to what effect plain packaging will have on smoking in lower-income countries.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Hughes|first1=Nicole|last2=Arora|first2=Monika|last3=Grills|first3=Nathan|title=Perceptions and impact of plain packaging of tobacco products in low and middle income countries, middle to upper income countries and low-income settings in high-income countries: a systematic review of the literature|journal=[[BMJ Open]]|pmc=4809104|date=21 March 2016|volume=6|issue=3|pages=e010391|doi=10.1136/bmjopen-2015-010391|pmid=27000787}}</ref>

==Opposition==
Advertisement companies and consultants for the tobacco industry expressed concerns that plain cigarette packaging may establish a precedent for application in other industries.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://adage.com/article/news/australia-s-cigarette-brand-ban-prompt-domino-effect/236761/ | title = Will Australia's Cigarette Brand Ban Spread Beyond Borders, Tobacco? | publisher = Advertising Age | year = 2012 }}</ref> In 2012, correspondence between [[Mars, Incorporated]] and the UK Department of Health conveyed concerns that plain packaging could be extended to the food and beverage industry.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.confectionerynews.com/Regulation-Safety/Mars-complaint-over-tobacco-plain-packaging-unearthed | title = Plain packaging pay out to Mars would 'certainly not be trivial' says Institute of Economic Affairs | publisher = Confectionery News | year = 2014 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.cityam.com/1406214295/mars-lawyers-slam-tobacco-plain-packaging | title = Mars lawyers slam tobacco plain packaging | year = 2014 }}</ref> Together, with other policies such as tobacco taxes, plain packaging is considered by some as a form of [[Social engineering (political science)|social engineering]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Wajsman|first1=Beryl|title=Ottawa's plain packaging cigarette proposal: Illogical, illiberal and illegal - The Métropolitain|url=http://www.themetropolitain.ca/articles/view/1621|access-date=24 May 2017|work=www.themetropolitain.ca|date=19 September 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last1=Lemieux|first1=Pierre|author-link=Pierre Lemieux (economist)|title=The War on Consumer Surplus|journal=[[Regulation (magazine)|Regulation]]|date=2017|volume=40|issue=1|pages=10–13|url=https://www.proquest.com/openview/2239e6a142ce187a2379824b37f3893f/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=38212|access-date=24 May 2017|url-access=subscription |language=en}}</ref>

A study commissioned by [[Philip Morris International]] indicated that plain packaging would shift consumer preferences away from premium towards cheaper brands.<ref>London Economics, [http://londoneconomics.co.uk/Publications/London-Economics-The%20role-of-packaging%20imagery-on-consumer-preferences-for-experience-goods-report%2009-03-2012.pdf "The Role of Packaging Imagery on Consumer Preferences for Experience Goods"], 2012 {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140812212106/http://londoneconomics.co.uk/Publications/London-Economics-The%20role-of-packaging%20imagery-on-consumer-preferences-for-experience-goods-report%2009-03-2012.pdf |date=12 August 2014 }}</ref>

The tobacco industry also expressed concern that plain packaging would increase the sales of counterfeit cigarettes. Roy Ramm, former commander of Specialist Operations at New Scotland Yard and founding member of The Common Sense Alliance,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tobaccotactics.org/index.php/Roy_Ramm|title=Roy Ramm|work=tobaccotactics.org}}</ref> a think tank supported by [[British American Tobacco]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tobaccotactics.org/index.php/The_Common_Sense_Alliance|title=The Common Sense Alliance|work=tobaccotactics.org}}</ref> stated that it would be "disastrous if the government, by introducing plain-packaging legislation, [removed] the simplest mechanism for the ordinary consumer to tell whether their cigarettes are counterfeit or not."<ref>{{cite news | url = http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/roy-ramm/plain-cigarette-packaging-government-plans-for-plai_b_1637528.html | title = Government Plans for Plain Packaging Will Boost Illicit Trade | work = Huffington Post UK | year = 2012 }}</ref>

Arguments against plain packaging include its effect on smuggling, its effect on shops and retailers, and its possible illegality. A study published in July 2014 by the ''[[The BMJ|BMJ]]'' rebutted those claims.<ref>{{cite journal |last1= Scollo|first1= Michelle|last2= Zacher|first2= Meghan|last3= Durkin|first3= Sarah|last4= Wakefield|first4= Melanie|date= 18 July 2014|title= Early evidence about the predicted unintended consequences of standardised packaging of tobacco products in Australia: a cross-sectional study of the place of purchase, regular brands and use of illicit tobacco|url= |journal= [[British Medical Journal]]|doi= 10.1136/bmjopen-2014-005873 |volume=4 |issue= 8|pages=e005873 |pmid=25168041 |pmc=4156805}}</ref>

In reporting Philip Morris's legal action against the Australian project, ''[[The Times of India]]'' noted in 2011 that plain packaging legislation was being closely watched by other countries, and that tobacco firms were worried the Australian plain packaging legislation might set a global precedent.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/rest-of-world/Tobacco-major-sues-Australia-over-plain-packaging-laws/articleshow/10824779.cms |title=Tobacco major sues Australia over 'plain packaging' laws |agency=Reuters |date=22 November 2011 |publisher=Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd |access-date=23 November 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120718235831/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/rest-of-world/Tobacco-major-sues-Australia-over-plain-packaging-laws/articleshow/10824779.cms |archive-date=18 July 2012 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

In July 2012 it was reported that the American [[lobbying]] organisation [[American Legislative Exchange Council]] (ALEC) had launched a worldwide campaign against plain packaging of cigarettes. With the backing of tobacco companies and other corporate interests, it targeted governments planning to introduce bans on cigarette branding, including the UK and Australia.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2012/jul/15/cigarettes-plain-packets-alec-koch-brothers | location=London | work=The Guardian | first=Jamie | last=Doward | title=US free market group tries to halt sales of cigarettes in plain packets in UK | date=15 July 2012}}</ref> Tobacco companies were also reported to have provided legal advice and funding to Ukraine and Honduras governments to launch a complaint in the [[World Trade Organization]] (WTO) on the grounds that the Australian legislation is contrary to a WTO intellectual property agreement. WTO complaints must be made by Governments, not companies.<ref name="AFTINET">{{cite web |url= http://aftinet.org.au/cms/node/519 |title= Australian High Court rules against big tobacco on plain packaging |author=AFTINET Media Release<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |website= AFTINET Australian Fair Trade & Investment Network Ltd |date= 15 August 2012 |access-date=25 February 2014}}</ref> British American Tobacco confirmed that they were helping Ukraine meet legal costs in their case against Australia.<ref name="Reuters_Ukraine">{{cite news|title=UPDATE 1-Ukraine drops WTO action against Australian tobacco-packaging laws|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/wto-tobacco-idUSL5N0YP3S420150603|date=3 June 2015}}</ref>

By May 2013 Cuba,<ref name=WTO5313>{{cite web|title=Cuba files dispute against Australia on tobacco plain packaging|url=http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news13_e/ds458rfc_03may13_e.htm|publisher=World Trade Organization|access-date=7 May 2013|date=3 May 2013|quote=Cuba notified the WTO Secretariat, on 3 May 2013, of a request for consultations with Australia on the Australian Tobacco Plain Packaging Act of 2011 that regulates the appearance and form of retail packaging used in connection with sales of cigars, cigarettes and other tobacco products.}}</ref> Ukraine, Honduras and the Dominican Republic challenged Australia's rules through the WTO by filing requests for consultations, the first step in challenging Australia's tobacco-labelling laws at the WTO<ref name=NYT5613>{{cite news|title=Cuba Challenges Australian Tobacco Rules|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/07/business/global/07iht-smoke07.html|access-date=7 May 2013|newspaper=The New York Times|date=6 May 2013|author=David Jolly|quote=All four nations argue that provisions of a 2011 Australian law, the Tobacco Plain Packaging Act, have created "technical barriers" to trade and violate intellectual property rights.}}</ref> A request for consultations opened a 60-day negotiation window after which a formal complaint could be filed which, if successful, might have led to increased tariffs on Australian exports. On 28 May 2015 Ukraine, which exports no tobacco to Australia, decided to suspend its WTO action initiated by the previous Ukrainian government.<ref name="Reuters_Ukraine"/> The packaging of Cuban cigars is considered to contribute significantly to sales.<ref name=NYT5613 />

In June 2018, the WTO panel rejected the claims of the plaignants. Regarding the [[Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade]], the panel concludes that plain packaging restricts trade only insofar as it reduces consumption, which is the legitimate objective of the measure. As for the [[TRIPS Agreement]], it observes that "TRIPS does not provide for a right to use a trademark", but prevents other companies from using them.<ref>{{cite web|title= An initial overview of the WTO panel decision in Australia – Plain Packaging|url= http://untobaccocontrol.org/kh/legal-challenges/initial-overview-wto-panel-decision-australia-plain-packaging/|author= McCabe Centre for Law and Cancer|access-date= 5 July 2018}}</ref> In June 2020, the [[Appellate Body]] rejects an appeal formed by Honduras and the Dominican Republic against the panel decision.<ref>{{cite web|title= WTO Backs Australia in Appeal Over Its Tobacco Packaging Law|url= https://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2020/06/09/world/09reuters-trade-wto-tobacco.html|author= [[Reuters]]|website= [[The New York Times]]|date= 9 June 2020}}</ref>

==By country==
[[File:Plain packaging.svg|thumb|right|upright=2|
{{legend|#FF0000|Plain packaging}}
{{legend|#FFA8A8|Passed into law, but not yet in force}}]]
{| class="wikitable"
|+History of plain tobacco packaging
!Year 
!Countries where plain packaging law comes into force (retail level)
|-
|2012
|{{flag|Australia}} (1 December)
|-
|2017
|{{flag|France}} (1 January), {{flag|United Kingdom}} (21 May)
|-
|2018
|{{flag|New Zealand}} (6 June), {{flag|Norway}} (1 July), {{flag|Ireland}} (30 September)
|-
|2019
|{{flag|Thailand}} (9 December), {{flag|Uruguay}} (22 December)
|-
|2020
|{{flag|Saudi Arabia}} (1 January), {{flag|Slovenia}} (1 January), {{flag|Turkey}} (5 January) {{efn|New productions:2019, former package marketing deadline:January 2020, according to: https://www.resmigazete.gov.tr/eskiler/2019/03/20190301-5.htm.}}, {{flag|Israel}} (8 January), {{flag|Canada}} (7 February), {{flag|Singapore}} (1 July)

|-
|2021
|{{flag|Belgium}} (1 January), {{flag|Netherlands}} (1 October)

|-
|2022
|{{flag|Hungary}} (1 January), {{flag|Denmark}} (1 April), {{flag|Guernsey}} (1 August), {{flag|Jersey}} (1 August)

|-
|2023
|{{flag|Myanmar}} (1 April), {{flag|Finland}} (1 May)

|-
|2024
|{{flag|Armenia}} (1 January), {{flag|Georgia}} (31 July)
|}

Furthermore, plain packaging has been implemented in practice in 3 countries where packages are imported from a country with plain packaging, i.e. [[Monaco]] (from France), [[Cook Islands]] (from New Zealand), and [[Niue]] (from Australia).

===Australia===
{{see also|Cigarette packets in Australia}}
Under the legislation, companies have had to sell their cigarettes in a logo-free, drab dark brown packaging from 1 December 2012.<ref name=TobaccoPlainPackagingBill2011>{{citation|title=Tobacco Plain Packaging Bill 2011 |url=http://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id%3A%22legislation%2Fbillhome%2Fr4613%22 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160621173000/http://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p%3Bquery%3DId%3A%22legislation/billhome/r4613%22 |archive-date=21 June 2016 }}</ref> Government research found that a specific olive green colour, [[Pantone 448 C]], was the least attractive colour, particularly for young people.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/does-this-colour-turn-you-off-20120816-24bf4.html|title=Does this colour turn you off?|website=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=16 August 2012|access-date=2016-06-19}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Cigarette rethink: Logos out, death and disease in |first=Jeremy |last=Thompson |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/04/07/3184738.htm |publisher=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]]|date=7 April 2011}}</ref> After concerns were expressed over the naming of the colour by the Australian Olive Association, the name was changed to drab dark brown.<ref>[http://www.theage.com.au/national/does-this-colour-turn-you-off-20120816-24bf4.html "Does this colour turn you off?"] by Rachel Wells, ''[[The Age]]'', 17 August 2012</ref> With the plain packaging and tax increases<ref>{{cite news |title=Cigarette tax to increase 25pc from midnight |first=Emma |last=Rodgers |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/04/29/2885725.htm |publisher=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]]|date=29 April 2010}}</ref> the Australian government aimed to bring down smoking rates from 16.6% in 2007 to less than 10% by 2018.<ref>{{cite news |title=Government to demand no frills cigarette packets |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/04/28/2885166.htm |publisher=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]]|date=29 April 2010}}</ref> Statistics published in 2014 showed that the amount of excise and customs duty on cigarettes fell by 3.4% in Australia in 2013 compared to 2012 when plain packaging was introduced.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.canberratimes.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/plain-packaging-pushes-cigarette-sales-down-20140622-3amd8.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140625124821/http://www.canberratimes.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/plain-packaging-pushes-cigarette-sales-down-20140622-3amd8.html|archive-date=25 June 2014|date=23 June 2014|first=Peter|last=Martin|publisher=Fairfax Media|newspaper=The Canberra Times|title=Plain packaging pushes cigarette sales down}}</ref><ref>{{citation|url=http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/tobacco-kff|publisher=Department of Health|date=19 June 2014|title=Tobacco key facts and figures|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140625124846/http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/tobacco-kff|archive-date=25 June 2014}}</ref> Some commentators referred to data provided by the tobacco industry and claimed that the tobacco sales volume had increased by 59 million sticks (individual cigarettes or their roll-your-own equivalents) during the same period.<ref>[http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/policy/labors-plain-packaging-fails-as-cigarette-sales-rise/story-fn59nokw-1226945123085?nk=7389e325b2ba8f0f56210766bb588436# "Labor's plain packaging fails as cigarette sales rise"] by Christian Kerr, ''[[The Australian]]'', 6 June 2014 {{subscription required}}</ref><ref>[http://mychoice.org.au/plain-packaging/2014/this-week-in-plain-packaging-worst-policy-ever/ "This week in plain packaging: Worst. Policy. Ever."], mychoice.org.au, 20 June 2014</ref> According to [[Philip Morris International]], 2013 saw a 0.3% increase in tobacco sales compared to 2012.<ref>[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/australiaandthepacific/australia/10718244/Australia-tobacco-sales-increase-despite-plain-packaging.html "Australia tobacco sales increase despite plain packaging"] by Reuters and Bonnie malkin, ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'', 24 March 2014</ref><ref>[http://www.theaustralian.com.au/opinion/columnists/claims-plain-packaging-works-go-up-in-smoke/story-fnbkvnk7-1226955234066 "Claims plain packaging works go up in smoke"] by [[Judith Sloan]], ''[[The Australian]]'', 16 June 2014<br />[http://catallaxyfiles.com/2014/06/16/plain-packaging-handy-links/ "Plain packaging handy links"] by Sinclair Davidson, 16 June 2014</ref> Other commentators however contradicted these claims based on data published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics in March 2014.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thekouk.com/blog/the-australian-s-claim-on-tobacco-go-up-in-smoke.html|title=The Australian's claim on tobacco goes up in smoke|first=Stephen|last=Koukoulas|work=thekouk.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/14c93ff0-f120-11e3-9e26-00144feabdc0.html|title=Australians stub out cigarettes in wake of plain-pack law|work=Financial Times|date=11 June 2014|last1=Smyth|first1=Jamie}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/asia-pacific/smoke-and-mirrors-as-big-tobacco-fights-australian-plain-packaging-law-1.1837263|title=Smoke and mirrors as Big Tobacco fights Australian plain packaging law|date=19 June 2014|newspaper=The Irish Times|access-date=29 February 2016}}</ref> A study conducted by [[KPMG]] for three major cigarette manufacturers had found that illegal trade of drastically cheaper cigarettes had significantly increased,<ref>[http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/446083/Plain-packet-effect-goes-up-in-smoke-as-Australian-research-reveals-no-fall-in-smoking "Plain packet effect goes up in smoke as Australian research reveals no fall in smoking"] by Kirsty Buchanan, ''[[Daily Express]]'', 1 December 2013</ref> but an article in ''[[The BMJ]]'' refutes this.<ref>{{cite journal|url=http://tobaccocontrol.bmj.com/content/24/Suppl_2/ii1.full|title=Death of a salesman|author=Gerard B Hastings|journal=Tobacco Control|year=2015|volume=24|issue=Suppl 2|pages=ii1–ii2|doi=10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2015-052285|pmid=28407603|pmc=4392218|access-date=29 February 2016}}</ref> After one year of plain cigarette packaging rule implementation, a special supplement to the ''British Medical Journal'' described that before plain packaging implementation 20% of smokers want to quit, but after implementation 27% of smokers want to quit. The study found that plain packaging reduces brand appeal and brand image of tobacco products.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-03-19/australias-plain-packaging-laws-are-a-success-studies-show/6331736 |title=Australia's plain packaging laws successful, studies show |newspaper=ABC News |date=19 March 2015 |access-date=19 March 2015}}</ref> If true, this would foretell fewer new smokers taking up the habit. An analysis of claims made by Philip Morris that "the data is clear that overall tobacco consumption and smoking prevalence has not gone down" concluded that this "claim is wrong".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-01-22/philip-morris-wrong-plain-packaging/5137682 |title=Has plain tobacco packaging failed to stop people smoking? |website=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]] |date=22 January 2014 |access-date=28 March 2015}}</ref> A 2016 review by the Australian Government found that the current packaging regime is having a positive impact on public health in Australia.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ris.pmc.gov.au/sites/default/files/posts/2016/02/Tobacco-Plain-Packaging-PIR.pdf|title=Post-Implementation Review Tobacco Plain Packaging 2016|access-date=16 January 2018}}</ref>

====Tobacco industry response====
In August 2010, Philip Morris International, [[British American Tobacco]] and [[Imperial Tobacco]] formed the Alliance of Australian Retailers, which commenced a multimillion-dollar campaign against the introduction of plain cigarette packaging. The campaign focused on [[grassroots]] advocacy ([[astroturfing]]), ostensibly on behalf of small business owners.<ref>{{cite news |title=Big tobacco bankrolls anti-Labor ad campaign |first=Jennifer |last=Macey |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/08/04/2972779.htm |publisher=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]]|date=4 August 2010}}</ref> When the funding source of the campaign was made public, large retailers such as [[Coles Supermarkets|Coles]] and [[Woolworths Supermarkets|Woolworths]] quickly withdrew support for the campaign.<ref>{{cite news |title=Retail group quits cigarette label campaign |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/08/11/2979583.htm |publisher=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]]|date=11 August 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Leaks reveal $9m tobacco blitz |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/09/11/3009026.htm |work=[[Lateline]]|date=10 September 2010}}</ref> The tobacco companies subsequently hired a [[public relations]] firm to oversee the campaign.<ref>{{cite news|title=Big Tobacco hired public relations firm to lobby government|first=Anne|last=Davies|url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/big-tobacco-hired-public-relations-firm-to-lobby-government-20100910-154yg.html|work=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]|date=11 September 2010}}</ref>

In May 2011, British American Tobacco launched a media campaign suggesting that illicit trade and crime syndicates would benefit from plain packaging.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.plainpack.com/home.aspx|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110520232024/http://www.plainpack.com/home.aspx|title=Plain Packs Website|archive-date=20 May 2011}}</ref> BATA [[CEO]] David Crow threatened to lower cigarette prices in order to compete, which he claimed could result in higher levels of smoking amongst young people.<ref>{{cite news |title=Tobacco Companies Declare War |url=http://www.abc.net.au/insiders/content/2011/s3223432.htm |publisher=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]]}}</ref> Crow later commented he would tell his own children not to smoke cigarettes, because they are unhealthy.<ref>{{cite news |title=British American Tobacco Australia boss David Crow tells his kids not to smoke |first=Stephen |last=Johnson |url=http://www.news.com.au/business/british-american-tobacco-australia-boss-david-crow-tells-his-children-not-to-smoke/story-e6frfm1i-1226059590411|publisher=News Corp Australia|date=20 May 2011}}</ref>

The BATA campaign is largely based on a report from [[Deloitte]]. Several of the claims contained in the report related to border protection, and have since been publicly refuted by customs officials, and the report itself indicated that it had relied extensively on unaudited figures supplied by the tobacco industry itself.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ashaust.org.au/lv4/IllicitChapman1103.htm|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120719094702/http://www.ashaust.org.au/lv4/IllicitChapman1103.htm|title=Professor Simon Chapman|archive-date=19 July 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=It's plain to see what's behind the smokescreen |first=Jessica |last=Irvine |url=http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/politics/its-plain-to-see-whats-behind-the-smokescreen-20110519-1eusy.html|work=[[The Age]]|date=20 May 2011 |location=Melbourne}}</ref>

In June 2011, [[Imperial Tobacco]] Australia launched a secondary media campaign, deriding plain packaging legislation as part of a [[nanny state]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Big Tobacco takes on the nanny state |url=http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/business/9636433/big-tobacco-takes-on-nanny-state/ |publisher=Yahoo Australia |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110623083821/http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/business/9636433/big-tobacco-takes-on-nanny-state |archive-date=23 June 2011 }}</ref>

In June 2011, Philip Morris International announced it was using the provisions in a Hong Kong/Australia treaty to demand compensation for Australia's plain packaging anti-smoking legislation. As a US-based company, Philip Morris could not sue under the US-Australia Free Trade Agreement. The company rearranged its assets to become a Hong Kong investor in order to use the [[investor-state dispute settlement]] provisions in the Australia-Hong Kong Bilateral Investment treaty (BIT).<ref name="AFTINET"/> Immediately following the passage of legislation on 21 November 2011, Philip Morris announced it had served a notice of arbitration under Australia's Bilateral Investment Treaty with Hong Kong, seeking the suspension on the plain packaging laws and compensation for the loss of trademarks.<ref name="ABC News" /> [[Allens (law firm)|Allens Arthur Robinson]] represented Philip Morris.<ref>{{cite news |title=Philip Morris Begins Arbitration Proceedings With Australia Over Tobacco Packaging Law |url=http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1202533316269&slreturn=1|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130127230754/http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1202533316269&slreturn=1|url-status=dead|archive-date=27 January 2013|author=Ben Lewis |publisher=LAW.COM|date=23 November 2011}} </ref> In response, Health Minister [[Nicola Roxon]] stated that she believed the government was "on very strong ground" legally, and that the government was willing to defend the measures.<ref name=ABC6Jul2011 /><ref>{{Cite web|url = http://www.mccabecentre.org/focus-areas/tobacco/philip-morris-asia-challenge|title = Philip Morris Asia Challenge under Australia – Hong Kong Bilateral Investment Treaty|access-date = 2014-12-05|publisher = McCabe Centre for Law and Cancer|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141209005612/http://www.mccabecentre.org/focus-areas/tobacco/philip-morris-asia-challenge|archive-date = 9 December 2014|url-status = dead|df = dmy-all}}</ref> The continuance of trade and investment proceedings on the issue has been described as an affront to the rule of law in Australia.<ref>Faunce TA. Affront to the Rule of Law-international tribunal to decide on plain packaging The Conversation 29 August 2012 https://theconversation.edu.au/an-affront-to-the-rule-of-law-international-tribunals-to-decide-on-plain-packaging-8968 (accessed 29 August 2012)</ref> Dr Patricia Ranald, Convener of the Australian Fair Trade and Investment Network said that big tobacco and other global corporations are lobbying hard to include the right of foreign investors to sue governments in the current negotiations for a Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA).<ref name="AFTINET"/> Philip Morris International lost its case in December 2015.<ref>{{cite news |title=Australia wins international legal battle with Philip Morris over plain packaging |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2015/dec/18/australia-wins-international-legal-battle-with-philip-morris-over-plain-packaging |work=[[the Guardian]]|date= 2015-12-18}}</ref>

In November 2011, British American Tobacco announced that it would challenge the laws in the High Court as soon as they gained royal assent.<ref>{{cite news|title=Plain cigarette packaging to start in 2012|url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/plain-cigarette-packaging-to-start-in-2012-20111121-1nqbo.html|work=Sydney Morning Herald|date=21 November 2011}}</ref> In August 2012, the High Court ruled in favour of the Australian government.<ref>{{cite AustLII |litigants=JT International SA v Commonwealth |court=HCA |num=43 |year=2012 |parallelcite=(2011) 250 [[Commonwealth Law Reports|CLR]] 1 [http://www.hcourt.gov.au/assets/publications/judgment-summaries/2012/projt-2012-08-15.pdf judgement summary] at High Court of Australia Website.}}</ref>

British American Tobacco placed [[freedom of information]] requests on a Cancer Institute NSW research survey of school students aged between 12 and 17, which asked how they react to plain packaging, where they get cigarettes from and what age they started smoking.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/tobacco-company-wants-schools-survey-for-insights-into-children-and-teens-20150819-gj2vto.html|title=Tobacco company wants schools survey for insights into children and teens|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=19 August 2015|access-date=29 February 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-08-20/cancer-council-fights-tobacco-giant-foi-bid-for-info-on-smoking/6710884|title=Cancer Council to fight British American Tobacco's FOI bid for students' smoking attitudes research|work=ABC News|date=20 August 2015|access-date=29 February 2016}}</ref> The [[Cancer Council Victoria]] fought the FOI request, saying that the tobacco company wanted to use the survey information to change their marketing to children to increase cigarette smoking among youth.

Phillip Morris was ordered to pay the Australian government's legal fees.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Knaus |first1=Christopher |title=Philip Morris cigarettes charged millions after losing plain packaging case against Australia |url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2017/jul/10/philip-morris-cigarettes-charged-millions-after-losing-plain-packaging-case-against-australia |access-date=1 July 2018 |work=the Guardian |date=10 July 2017 |language=en}}</ref> A FOI request by [[Nick Xenophon]] and [[Rex Patrick]] revealed that Australia's legal fees amounted to $39 million with Patrick saying that this showed the dangers of investor-state dispute settlement clauses allowing companies to sue governments in the [[Trans-Pacific Partnership]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Hutchens |first1=Gareth |last2=Knaus |first2=Christopher |title=Revealed: $39m cost of defending Australia's tobacco plain packaging laws |url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2018/jul/02/revealed-39m-cost-of-defending-australias-tobacco-plain-packaging-laws |access-date=1 July 2018 |work=the Guardian |date=1 July 2018 |language=en}}</ref>

====Other responses====
[[File:World Health Organisation building south face 2.jpg|thumb|WHO Headquarters in Geneva]]
The [[World Health Organization]] (WHO) applauded Australia's law on plain packaging noting that "the legislation sets a new global standard for the control of a product that accounts for nearly 6 million deaths each year".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.wpro.who.int/media_centre/press_releases/pr_20111123.htm |archive-url=http://webarchive.loc.gov/all/20111124102118/http%3A//www.wpro.who.int/media_centre/press_releases/pr_20111123.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=24 November 2011 |title=WHO applauds Australia's new tobacco packaging legislation |date=23 November 2011 |publisher=World Health Organization |access-date=15 February 2012 }}</ref>

The Cancer Council of Australia hailed the passing of the legislation, stating, "Documents obtained from the tobacco industry show how much the tobacco companies rely on pack design to attract new smokers....You only have to look at how desperate the tobacco companies are to stop plain packaging, for confirmation that pack design is seen as critical to sales."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cancer.org.au//Newsmedia/mediareleases/mediareleases2011/21November2011.htm |title=Great day in public health, as parliament signs off on tobacco packaging bills |author=Paul Grogan |date=21 November 2011|publisher=Cancer Council, Australia |access-date=23 November 2011}}</ref> The WHO's director for the Western Pacific also congratulated Australia and stated that all countries and areas in the Western Pacific should follow Australia's good example.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://solomontimes.com/news.aspx?nwID=6670 |title=WHO Applauds Australia's New Tobacco Packaging Legislation |author=World Health Organization |date=23 November 2011|work=Solomon Times Online |access-date=24 November 2011}}</ref>

Speaking on Radio Australia, Don Rothwell, Professor of International Law at the [[Australian National University]], noted that Philip Morris was pursuing multiple legal avenues. The Notice of Arbitration under the bilateral investment treaty between Hong Kong and Australia has a 90-day cooling off period after which the case would most likely be sent to the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes in Washington. He stated that Philip Morris was most likely aiming for the Australian Government to back down, or failing that, to sue for compensation. He said the questions to decide are whether the legislation means that Australia would acquire property by the imposition of these rules and if this legislation is a legitimate public-health measure.

Professor Rothwell noted "...the growing recognition of the legitimacy of public health measures of this type." Professor Rothwell estimated that the legal cases, including any case before the High Court, would take up to a year to decide.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/asiapac/stories/201111/s3373582.htm|title=Australia sued over cigarette plain packaging laws |date=22 November 2011|publisher=ABC International Radio Australia|access-date= 26 November 2011}}</ref> However, in the United States, Judge Richard J. Leon ruled in 2011 that graphic health warning labels "clearly display the government's opinion on smoking" which he said "cannot constitutionally be required to appear on the merchandise of private companies." He ruled that these warnings would unfairly hurt their sales, that the warnings were crafted to provoke an emotional response calculated to quit smoking or never to start smoking. This, the judge ruled, was "an objective wholly apart from disseminating purely factual and uncontroversial information." This finding may be appealed.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bpr.berkeley.edu/2011/11/federal-judge-deems-fda's-antismoking-warning-labels-unconstitutional/ |title=Federal Judge Deems FDA's Antismoking Warning Labels Unconstitutional |author=Mandy Honeychurch |date=8 November 2011 |work=Berkeley Political Review |access-date=26 November 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120710004624/http://bpr.berkeley.edu/2011/11/federal-judge-deems-fda%E2%80%99s-antismoking-warning-labels-unconstitutional/ |archive-date=10 July 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504763_162-57320454-10391704/fdas-graphic-cigarette-warning-labels-beyond-free-speech/ |title=FDA's graphic cigarette warning labels: Beyond free speech? |author=Ryan Jaslow |date=8 November 2011|publisher=CBS Interactive Inc |access-date=26 November 2011}}</ref>{{Update inline|date=June 2017}}

The Associated Press noted that Philip Morris took "less than an hour" to launch legal action against the Australian legislation. It also stated that Australian legislation followed the lead of Uruguay which requires that 80 per cent of cigarette packages is devoted to warnings and Brazil, where cigarette packages display "graphic images" of dead fetuses, haemorrhaging brains and gangrenous feet.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/industries/tobacco-giant-philip-morris-suing-australian-government-over-plain-packaging-law/2011/11/21/gIQA0sE4gN_story.html |title=Australia passes no-logo cigarette package law; Philip Morris quickly takes legal action |agency=Associated Press |date=21 November 2011|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=23 November 2011}}{{dead link|date=June 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} </ref>

New Zealand Associate Health Minister [[Tariana Turia]] congratulated the Australian Health Minister, noted that tobacco labelling rules have long been harmonised between Australia and New Zealand, and looked forward to New Zealand following suit.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/world/2011-11/22/c_131262227.htm|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120711070205/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/world/2011-11/22/c_131262227.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=11 July 2012|title=New Zealand to follow Australia's controversial plain packaging law for cigarettes |date= 22 November 2011|publisher=Xinhua News Agency|access-date= 26 November 2011}}</ref>

====Legislation====
In April 2011, [[Nicola Roxon|Minister Roxon]] released an exposure draft of plain packaging legislation with an expected start date of 1 July 2012.<ref>{{cite news|title=Exposure Draft, Plain Packaging Bill|first=Nicola|last=Roxon|author-link=Nicola Roxon|url=http://yourhealth.gov.au/internet/yourhealth/publishing.nsf/Content/C550AA264BA53F7ACA25786B0001B34A/$File/Tobacco%20Plain%20Packaging%20Bill%202011%20-%20Exposure%20Draft%20-%2031%20March%202011.pdf|publisher=Australian Government|date=April 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110603020321/http://www.yourhealth.gov.au/internet/yourhealth/publishing.nsf/Content/C550AA264BA53F7ACA25786B0001B34A/$File/Tobacco%20Plain%20Packaging%20Bill%202011%20-%20Exposure%20Draft%20-%2031%20March%202011.pdf|archive-date=3 June 2011|df=dmy-all}}</ref> Australian newspapers reported that the legislation was likely to pass despite concerns from the [[Coalition (Australia)|Opposition]]. It was suggested the Opposition resistance to the legislation was due to their continuing acceptance of funding donations from tobacco companies.<ref>{{cite news |title=Cigarettes Likely to get plain packages |first=Andrea |last=Hayward |url=http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/cigarettes-likely-to-get-plain-packages-20110524-1f193.html |work=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]|date=24 May 2011}}</ref>

On 31 May 2011, [[Liberal Party of Australia|Liberal]] leader [[Tony Abbott]] announced that his party would support the legislation, and would work with the government to ensure the legislation is effective.<ref>{{cite news |title=Abbott out of puff on plain packet laws |first=Ben |last=Packham |url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/abbott-out-of-puff-on-plain-cigarette-packet-laws/story-fn59niix-1226066784420|work=[[The Australian]]|date=1 June 2011}}</ref>

Minister Roxon introduced the plain packaging bill to Parliament on 6 July 2011,<ref name=ABC6Jul2011>[http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/07/06/3262578.htm "Roxon Introduces Plain Packaging Bill"], ABC News, 6 July 2011</ref> and it passed through the [[Australian House of Representatives|Lower House]] on 24 August 2011.<ref>{{cite news |title=Plain packaging legislation passes Lower House |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-08-24/plain-packaging-legislation-passes-parliament/2854434 |publisher=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]]|date=25 Aug 2011}}</ref> The legislation passed the [[Australian Senate|Upper House]] on 10 November 2011 with the amended start date of 1 December 2012.<ref name=TobaccoPlainPackagingBill2011 /> Due to the changed start date the legislation returned to the Lower House before being given [[royal assent]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Cigarette packaging legislation passes Senate |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-11-10/plain-packaging-legislation-passes-senate/3658840 |publisher=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]]|date=10 November 2011}}</ref> Legislation finally passed on 21 November 2011.<ref name="ABC News" />

===Belgium===
[[File:Belgian cigarette pack (generic).jpg|thumb|A used plain cigarette packet from Belgium]]
In March 2015, an early day motion forwarded by deputy [[Catherine Fonck]] to consider plain packaging in Belgium. However, it was opposed and stuck down by the federal Public Health select committee.<ref>{{cite news|title=Les partis de la majorité rejettent le paquet de cigarettes neutre|trans-title=The majority parties reject neutral packaging of cigarettes|language=fr|url = http://www.levif.be/actualite/belgique/les-partis-de-la-majorite-rejettent-le-paquet-de-cigarettes-neutre/article-normal-373219.html|website=[[Le Vif]]|date=24 March 2015}}</ref> Later in November 2016, the health minister [[Maggie De Block]] said she is open to idea of plain packaging, once the introduction of plain packaging in France and the UK has been reviewed. This was done on top of a list of new tobacco laws such as increasing taxes and raising the purchasing age to 18.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Delepeleire|first1=Yves|title=Anti-rookplan De Block wordt mager beestje|url=http://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20161106_02559048|work=[[De Standaard]]|language=nl|access-date=29 May 2017}}</ref>
[[File:Newsagent's shop in Liège during plain tobacco packaging transition.jpg|thumb|Newsagent's shop in [[Liège]], Belgium, during plain tobacco packaging transition (2020)]]
In September 2018, the government decided to introduce plain packaging for all tobacco products.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rtbf.be/info/belgique/detail_le-gouvernement-a-decide-d-imposer-le-paquet-neutre-pour-les-cigarettes-et-le-tabac-a-rouler?id=10013294|title=Le gouvernement a décidé d'imposer le paquet neutre pour les cigarettes et le tabac à rouler|date=2018-09-07|website=RTBF Info|language=fr|access-date=2019-04-08}}</ref> The new law came in force in January 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sudinfo.be/id101599/article/2019-02-12/grand-changement-en-vue-pour-les-fumeurs-maggie-de-block-annonce-que-le-paquet#|title=Grand changement en vue pour les fumeurs: Maggie De Block annonce que le paquet neutre arrivera le 1er janvier 2020!|website=SudInfo.be|date=12 February 2019|language=fr|access-date=2019-04-08}}</ref>

===Canada===
During the [[2015 Canadian federal election]] campaign, [[Liberal Party of Canada|Liberal Party]] leader [[Justin Trudeau]] promised to mandate plain packaging if elected prime minister.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/liberal-pledge-to-demand-plain-cigarette-packaging-draws-cheers/article27054353/|title=Liberal pledge to demand plain cigarette packaging draws cheers|work=The Globe and Mail|access-date=2019-10-18}}</ref> On 16 May 2018, the [[Parliament of Canada|Parliament]] passed Bill S-5 to amend the Tobacco Act as the [[Tobacco and Vaping Products Act]], adding the authority for [[Health Canada]] to mandate plain packaging for cigarette products (alongside extending many of its existing restrictions to [[electronic cigarette]]s).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/ottawa-plain-packaging-vaping-law-1.4662112|title=Parliament passes plain tobacco packaging law, regulates vaping|date=16 May 2018|website=CBC News|access-date=18 October 2019}}</ref>

The ''Tobacco Products Regulations (Plain and Standardized Appearance)'' were published to the ''[[Canada Gazette]]'' on 24 April 2019: plain packaging will use the same brown color used in Australia, and must use a standardized layout and "slide and shell" package. No other packaging styles are permitted. The cigarette itself may not include any branding or promotions, and cigarettes longer than 85&nbsp;mm in length are also banned, as well as any "slim" cigarette. The phase-in has begun on 9 November 2019, and completed on 7 February 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p2/2019/2019-05-01/html/sor-dors107-eng.html|title=Canada Gazette, Part 2, Volume 153, Number 9: Tobacco Products Regulations (Plain and Standardized Appearance)|last=Government of Canada|first=Public Works and Government Services Canada|date=2019-05-01|website=www.gazette.gc.ca|access-date=2019-10-18}}</ref>
Canada has also opted for plain packaging and labelling for all [[cannabis]] products, with restrictions on logos, colours, branding and specific display formats.

===Colombia===
In March 2015, a bill similar to the Australian one was established before the Congress of the Republic, since it was intended to regulate the packaging and labeling of tobacco products. The ultimate goal of this Bill was to achieve a total ban on its advertising, promotion and sponsorship. Although the Bill was filed a few months after the passage of the legislature, the one that has come to be debated in the first presentation in the House of Representatives allows concluding that Colombia is not far from adopting a regulation on the matter.<ref>{{cite news |title=The arrival of Plain Packaging to Colombia |url=https://www.asuntoslegales.com.co/consultorio/la-llegada-del-plain-packaging-a-colombia-2611247 |publisher=[[Asuntos Legales]]|date=16 March 2016|access-date=16 March 2018}}</ref>

===Denmark===
In December 2020, a law establishing plain packaging was passed by the Danish parliament, the [[Folketing]]. It states that only plain packs can be sold by retailers in Denmark as of 1 April 2022.<ref>{{Cite web|url= https://via.ritzau.dk/pressemeddelelse/ny-handleplan-er-en-sejr-for-born-og-unges-sundhed?publisherId=2700313&releaseId=13606295|title= Ny handleplan er en sejr for børn og unges sundhed|language= da|date= 15 December 2020|website=[[Ritzau]]}}</ref> The law was promulgated on 21 December 2020.<ref>{{cite web|title=Lov om ændring af lov om forbud mod tobaksreklame m.v., lov om tobaksvarer m.v., lov om elektroniske cigaretter m.v. og forskellige andre love|url=https://www.retsinformation.dk/eli/lta/2020/2071|website=retsinformation.dk|language=da|date=21 December 2020}}</ref>

===European Union===
In 2010, the European Commission launched a public consultation<ref>{{cite news |title=Public consultation on the possible revision of the Tobacco Products Directive 2001/37/EC |url=http://ec.europa.eu/health/tobacco/consultations/tobacco_cons_01_en.htm |publisher=[[European Commission]]|date=24 September 2010| access-date=15 February 2012}}</ref> on a proposal to revise Directive 2001/37/EC which covers health warnings, limits on toxic constituents, etc., for tobacco products. The consultation included a proposal to require plain packaging. Although [[John Dalli|Commissioner Dalli]] rejected plain packaging as an option,<ref>{{cite news |title=Plain packaging proposals for tobacco will 'damage business'|publisher=Talking retail|url=http://www.talkingretail.com/news/industry-news/plain-packaging-proposals-for-tobacco-will-%E2%80%98damage-business%E2%80%99|date=26 April 2012|access-date=27 June 2012}}</ref> the European Union included in its proposal for a new [[Tobacco Products Directive]], which became applicable in EU countries in May 2016,<ref name=EU2014>{{cite web|title=European Union: Tobacco Products Directive (2014/40/EU)|date=25 November 2016|url=https://ec.europa.eu/health/tobacco/products_en|access-date=29 October 2018}}</ref> the option for the Member States to introduce plain packaging.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://ec.europa.eu/health/tobacco/docs/com_2012_788_en.pdf|title= Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the approximation of the laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States concerning the manufacture, presentation and sale of tobacco and related products|date= 19 December 2012 |access-date=1 January 2017}}</ref> Legal scholars consider plain packaging to be consistent with primary European law<ref>{{cite journal|last=Henning|first=Peter K.|author2=Shmatenko, Leonid|title=Plain Packaging on Its Way to Europe: Competence Issues and Compatibility with European Fundamental Rights|journal=Transnational Dispute Management|date=November 2012|volume=9|issue=5|pages=1–17|ssrn=2171205}}</ref> and German law.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Shmatenko|first=Leonid|title=Verfassungsmäßigkeit von Einheitsverpackungen (Plain Packaging) bei Zigaretten|journal=Juristische Ausbildung (JURA)|date=February 2013|volume=35|issue=2|pages=74–81|doi=10.1515/jura-2012-0016}}</ref>

The directive adopted 3 April 2014 explicitly states that 28 EU countries have the option of implementing plain packaging, a provision upheld on 4 May 2016 by the [[European Court of Justice]] as valid when dismissing a tobacco industry legal challenge.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://curia.europa.eu/juris/document/document.jsf;jsessionid=9ea7d2dc30ddfe90e0aea11f458dbae3c7bf29452f35.e34KaxiLc3qMb40Rch0SaxuSahr0?text=&docid=173256&pageIndex=0&doclang=en&mode=req&dir=&occ=first&part=1&cid=493911|title=CURIA - Documents|website=curia.europa.eu}}</ref>

===Finland===
Finland has introduced a bill that includes provisions for a plain packaging scheme.<ref>{{cite news |title=Finland plans stricter smoking rules, unbranded cigarettes |url=https://apnews.com/article/health-business-government-and-politics-finland-tobacco-industry-regulation-251d0f6d98d25e95fafe2333477dd6f1 |publisher=[[Associated Press]]|date=27 April 2021}}</ref>

===France===
In December 2010, a [[Union for a Popular Movement|UMP]] member of the French Parliament tabled a Member's Bill aimed at creating plain cigarette packaging. However, the bill did not pass despite ongoing support from health associations.<ref>{{cite news|title=Tabac: la Ligue contre le cancer veut des paquets de cigarettes "neutres" |trans-title=Tobacco: the league against cancer wants "neutral" packets of cigarettes |language=fr |url=http://lci.tf1.fr/filnews/science/tabac-la-ligue-contre-le-cancer-veut-des-paquets-de-cigarettes-6968916.html |publisher=LCI, TF1 |date=1 February 2012 |access-date=15 February 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120212130556/http://lci.tf1.fr/filnews/science/tabac-la-ligue-contre-le-cancer-veut-des-paquets-de-cigarettes-6968916.html |archive-date=12 February 2012 }}</ref> As in other countries, there was fierce protest from the tobacco industry and tobacco retailers associations. The Health Minister also seemed lukewarm in his support, preferring to see the effect of newly introduced health warnings.<ref>{{cite news |title=Plain cigarette packets considered |url=http://www.connexionfrance.com/plain-cigarette-packets-smoking-draft-law-logos-colours-banned-shock-images-view-article.html |publisher=The Connection|date=11 August 2010|access-date=15 February 2012}}</ref>

Under the next legislature however, the new [[Socialist Party (France)|Socialist]] Health Minister, [[Marisol Touraine]], said she would fight especially at the European level for "neutral packaging". As in Australia, the tobacco industry countered that generic packaging would be easy to counterfeit, which would increase illegal cigarette sales.<ref>{{cite news|title=Le gouvernement favorable à des "cigarettes neutres" |trans-title= The government is favourable towards "neutral cigarettes" |language=fr |url=http://www.lemonde.fr/sante/article/2012/07/31/le-gouvernement-favorable-a-des-paquets-de-cigarettes-neutres_1740749_1651302.html |work=[[Le Monde]]|date=31 July 2012}}</ref> The EU directive eventually contained no explicit measures regarding plain packaging. In reaction, the French government announced the introduction of a bill containing provisions for generic cigarette packaging on 25 September 2014.<ref>{{cite news|title=Encadrement du vapotage, mise en place du paquet « neutre » : les annonces du plan anti-tabac |trans-title=Supervision of vaping, implementation of the "neutral" packet: announcements of the plan against tobacco |language=fr|url=http://www.lemonde.fr/sante/article/2014/09/25/encadrement-du-vapotage-mise-en-place-du-paquet-neutre-les-annonces-du-plan-anti-tabac_4494262_1651302.html|work=Le Monde|date=25 September 2014}}</ref> The bill was passed on 17 December 2015. The tobacco industry promptly attacked it in court, but lost its case.
This legislation was upheld on 21 January 2016 as constitutional by France's [[Constitutional Council (France)|Constitutional Council]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.conseil-constitutionnel.fr/decision/2016/2015727DC.htm|title=Décision n° 2015-727 DC du 21 janvier 2016|website=Conseil constitutionnel}}</ref>

Cigarettes manufactured after 20 May 2016 or sold after 1 January 2017 in France (including [[overseas departments and regions of France]]) must be put in plain packaging.<ref>{{cite news|title=La France adopte le paquet de cigarettes neutre|trans-title=France adopts neutral cigarette packaging|language=fr|url=http://www.lesoir.be/1072520/article/actualite/fil-info/fil-info-monde/2015-12-17/france-adopte-paquet-cigarettes-neutre|date=17 December 2015|access-date=17 December 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200308212129/http://www.lesoir.be/art/1072520/article/actualite/fil-info/fil-info-monde/2015-12-17/france-adopte-paquet-cigarettes-neutre|archive-date=8 March 2020|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Georgia===
In May 2017, the [[Georgian Parliament]] introduced a plain packaging law for implementation in 2018, then postponed to December 2022.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://agenda.ge/en/news/2022/4638|title=UN in Georgia calls on parliament to ensure plain packaging regulation on tobacco|website=agenda.ge|date=2022-11-29}}</ref> In December 2022, the date is further postponed to 31 July 2024.<ref>{{Cite web|lang=ka|url=https://batumelebi.netgazeti.ge/news/453660/|title=სიგარეტის სადა შეფუთვით გაყიდვის ვალდებულება ისევ გადაიდო|date=2022-12-13}}</ref>

===Guernsey===
Plain packaging was introduced in [[Guernsey]] on 31 July 2021. A one-year transition period will allow retailers to sell off their stock.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gov.gg/plainpackagingfortobacco|title= Committee for Health & Social Care makes regulations to bring in plain packaging for tobacco products from 31 July 2021|date= 2021-05-18|website= gov.gg}}</ref>

===Hungary===
The Decree of 16 August 2016 requires that new cigarette and tobacco brands that will be introduced on the Hungarian market after 20 August 2016 has to be in a uniform plain packaging, void of brand logos. Eventually, all cigarette and tobacco products are to be sold in uniform packs from 20 May 2019.<ref>{{cite news|title=Hungary: Larger pictorial warnings and plain packaging required by the new Government Decree|url=http://apps.who.int/fctc/implementation/database/groups/hungary-larger-pictorial-warnings-and-plain-packaging-required-new-government-decree|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161117063823/http://apps.who.int/fctc/implementation/database/groups/hungary-larger-pictorial-warnings-and-plain-packaging-required-new-government-decree|url-status=dead|archive-date=17 November 2016}}</ref> Entry into force has later been postponed to 1 January 2022.<ref>{{cite news|url= http://newsportal.hu/2018/12/14/hungary-puts-off-plain-cigarette-packaging-by-2-5-years/|title= Hungary puts off plain cigarette packaging by 2.5 years|date= 2018-12-14}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url= https://www.magyaridok.hu/gazdasag/kesobb-jon-az-egyseges-csomagolas-3770600/|title= Később jön az egységes csomagolás|language= hu|date= 2018-12-16}}</ref>

As of July 2017, the first cigarettes with unified plain packaging hit the Hungarian market. From 20 August 2016 onwards, new brands have to be sold in plain packaging. One new cigarette brand of Von Eicken GmbH have been launched with such unified package.

===India===
In August 2012, [[India]] was believed to be considering plain packaging.<ref>[http://www.theage.com.au/business/tobacco-fight-not-over-phillip-morris-says-20120815-2488s.html "Tobacco fight not over, Phillip Morris says"], by Chris Zappone, ''[[The Age]]'', 15 August 2012. Accessed 15 August 2012</ref> Research into its feasibility was conducted in 2013.<ref name=BMJGlobalHealth2018>{{cite journal |last1=Yadav |first1=Amit |last2=Nazar |first2=Gaurang P |last3=Rawal |first3=Tina |last4=Arora |first4=Monika |last5=Webster |first5=Premila |last6=Grills |first6=Nathan |title=Plain packaging of tobacco products: the logical next step for tobacco control policy in India |journal=BMJ Global Health |date=26 September 2018 |volume=3 |issue=5 |pages=e000873 |doi=10.1136/bmjgh-2018-000873 |pmid=30294458|pmc=6169668 }}</ref> [[Biju Janata Dal|BJD]] MP of Orissa, [[Baijayant Panda|Baijayant Jay Panda]], had unsuccessfully submitted in the [[Lok Sabha]] a [[Private member's bill]] seeking an amendment to the 2003 anti-tobacco law. The bill sought to stipulate for plain packaging of cigarette and tobacco products and increase the size of health warning and the accompanying graphic on cigarette packets.<ref>[http://www.business-standard.com/generalnews/news/bill-submitted-in-lok-sabha-for-amending-tobacco-act-2003/56442/ "Bill submitted in Lok Sabha for amending tobacco act 2003"], ''[[Business Standard]]'', 14 September 2012. Accessed 10 October 2012</ref> In general, tobacco control measures are often prone to legal challenges in India.<ref name=BMJGlobalHealth2018/> So far, there has been no progress on this matter and tobacco continues to be sold in branded packaging.

The [[Ministry of Health and Family Welfare]] presented a draft of the bill on January 1 2021 for public comment to be submitted by January 31. 2021.The bill proposes amending the existing act, which dates to 2003. But it contains no provision on plain packaging.<ref>[https://tntribune.com/india-proposes-raising-smoking-age-to-21/ India Proposes Raising Smoking Age to 21]</ref>

===Ireland===
In May 2013, Ireland announced plans to become the second country in the world to introduce plain cigarette packaging.<ref>[http://www.dohc.ie/press/releases/2013/20130528.html "Ireland set to become second country in the world to introduce plain pack cigarettes"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222055922/http://www.dohc.ie/press/releases/2013/20130528.html |date=22 February 2014 }}, by Ireland's DoHC, 28 May 2013. Accessed 28 May 2013</ref> In June 2014, the Irish government said it would legislate to implement plain packaging. Details of the bill known as the ''Public Health (Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Bill 2014'' were published on 10 June 2014. "There is a wealth of international evidence on the effects of tobacco packaging in general and on perceptions and reactions to standardised packaging which support the introduction of this measure," Ireland's [[Minister for Health (Ireland)|Health Minister]] [[James Reilly (Irish politician)|James Reilly]] said when releasing details of the bill.<ref name="IrishPackagingBan">{{cite news|title=Ireland to become first country in Europe to restrict tobacco companies on packaging|url=http://www.irishsun.com/index.php/sid/222782481/scat/aba4168066a10b8d/ht/Ireland-to-become-first-country-in-Europe-to-restrict-tobacco-companies-on-packaging|access-date=10 June 2014|publisher=Irish Sun.com}}</ref> The bill was signed by [[President of Ireland|President]] [[Michael D. Higgins]] on 10 March 2015. After some delays, it was announced that the law would take effect on 30 September 2017, with the sale of previously-manufactured cigarettes allowed until 30 September 2018.<ref>{{cite news|title=Plain packaging for cigarettes to begin in September|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/health/plain-packaging-for-cigarettes-to-begin-in-september-1.3028834|newspaper=The Irish Times|access-date=11 April 2017}}</ref>

===Israel===

January 8, 2019: the [[Knesset]] passes a bill on the restriction on Advertising and Marketing of Tobacco Products that includes provisions for the introduction of plain packaging in the country (Amendment n°7).<ref>[https://main.knesset.gov.il/EN/News/PressReleases/Pages/press11f.aspx Knesset passes bill restricting advertising and marketing of tobacco products]</ref>

A year after, January 8, 2020: full implementation for both manufacturers and retailers.

===Jersey===
On 30 June 2021, the [[States of Jersey]] passed a law requiring plain packaging for tobacco. It stated branded packages could only be brought into Jersey until 1 January 2022 and that branded packaging for cigarettes would be banned from sale on 31 July.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.itv.com/news/channel/2021-06-30/jersey-to-introduce-standardised-tobacco-packaging|title = Jersey to introduce 'standardised' tobacco packaging|date = 30 June 2021}}</ref>

===Malaysia===
On 24 February 2016, the [[Malaysia]]n [[Ministry of Health (Malaysia)|health ministry]] announced that it is planning to follow Australia's example and introduce plain packaging for tobacco in the near future.<ref>{{cite news|title=Gov't plans to introduce plain packaging for tobacco|url=http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2016/02/24/govt-plans-to-introduce-plain-packaging-for-tobacco/|access-date=1 April 2016|work=Free Malaysia News|date=24 February 2016}}</ref>

===Mauritius===
In June 2016 in a health workshop about tobacco control, the [[Mauritius|Mauritian]] health minister [[Anil Gayan]] publicised that the government was looking to introduce plain packaging in the country in the future.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.govmu.org/English/News/Pages/WNTD-Government%E2%80%99s-commitment-to-introduce-plain-packaging,-stressed-by-Health-Minister.aspx|title=Republic of Mauritius- WNTD: Government's commitment to introduce plain packaging, stressed by Health Minister|website=[[Government of Mauritius|govmu.org]]|access-date=2019-04-09}}</ref> Later in November 2018, the government announced that plain packaging would be introduced on the island-nation in June 2019, making it the first nation in Africa to introduce plain packaging.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lexpress.mu/article/342161/tabagisme-paquets-cigarettes-neutres-introduits-en-juin-2019|title=Tabagisme: les paquets de cigarettes neutres introduits en juin 2019|date=2018-11-02|website=[[L'Express (Mauritius)|lexpress.mu]]|language=fr|access-date=2019-04-09}}</ref>

On 31 May 2020, to mark the [[World No Tobacco Day]], the Minister of Health and Wellness [[Kailesh Jagutpal]] reiterated the decision of the country to introduce plain packaging.<ref>{{Cite web|url= https://www.lexpress.mu/node/378207|title= Des paquets de cigarettes neutres bientôt en vente |website=[[L'Express (Mauritius)|lexpress.mu]]|language=fr|date= 2020-05-31}}</ref>

===Myanmar===
In October 2021, the [[Ministry of Health (Myanmar)|Ministry of Health]] of [[Myanmar]] issued a regulation (Subordinate Legislation of Union Laws) introducing tobacco plain packaging. This regulation was supposed to enter into force on {{date|2022-04-10}}, but entry was postponed to {{date|2023-01-01}} on April 1, 2022.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlis.gov.mm/lsScPop.do?lawordSn=17739|title=ဆေးလိပ်နှင့် ဆေးရွက်ကြီးထွက်ပစ္စည်းများကို စံသတ်မှတ်ချက်များနှင့်အညီ ထုပ်ပိုးခြင်းနှင့် ကျန်းမာရေးသတိပေးရုပ်ပုံများ၊ စာသားများကို ပုံနှိပ်ဖော်ပြခြင်းဆိုင်ရာအမိန့် < ပြင်ဆင် 01.04.2022 >|language=my|trans-title=Order on Standard-Compliant Cigarette and Tobacco Product Packaging and Health Warning Images <Revised 01.04.2022>|date=2022-04-01|website=Myanmar Law Information System}}</ref> Retailers will be allowed to sell non-compliant products for another 90 days from that date.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO2110/S00193/prioritising-tobacco-control-amidst-crisis-myanmar-adopts-plain-packaging.htm|title=Prioritising Tobacco Control Amidst Crisis, Myanmar Adopts Plain Packaging|date=2021-10-21|website=[[Scoop (website)|Scoop]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlis.gov.mm/lsScPop.do?lawordSn=16894|title=ဆေးလိပ်နှင့် ဆေးရွက်ကြီးထွက်ပစ္စည်းများကို စံသတ်မှတ်ချက်များနှင့်အညီ ထုပ်ပိုးခြင်းနှင့် ကျန်းမာရေးသတိပေးရုပ်ပုံများ၊ စာသားများကို ပုံနှိပ်ဖော်ပြခြင်းဆိုင်ရာအမိန့်|language=my|trans-title=Order on Standard-Compliant Cigarette and Tobacco Product Packaging and Health Warning Images |date=2021-10-12|website=Myanmar Law Information System}}</ref>

===The Netherlands===
In [[the Netherlands]], [[Paul Blokhuis]], serving as [[Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (Netherlands)|State Secretary for Health, Welfare and Sports]] in the [[Third Rutte cabinet]], presented in November 2018 ''the Prevention Agreement'', an agreement concluded between the government, social organizations and private companies aimed at making Dutch people healthier.
One of these measures was the implementation of plain packaging for cigarettes and rolling tobacco, since 1 October 2020 at the production level and 1 October 2021 at the retail level, as well as for cigars and electric cigarettes by 2022.<ref>[https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/actueel/nieuws/2020/09/29/alle-sigaretten-en-shag-vanaf-1-oktober-in-donkergroen-bruine-verpakking Alle sigaretten en shag vanaf 1 oktober in donkergroen-bruine verpakking]</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Plain packaging voor sigaretten|url=https://ondernemersplein.kvk.nl/invoering-plain-packaging-voor-sigaretten-en-shag/|website=Dutch Chamber of Commence|language=nl|trans-title=Plain packaging for cigarettes and rolling tobacco|access-date=2020-05-10}}</ref> This measure is meant to make smoking less attractive to young people in particular.<ref>[https://nltimes.nl/2019/04/26/netherlands-impose-boring-packaging-cigarettes-2020 Netherlands to impose boring packaging on cigarettes from 2020].</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.telegraaf.nl/nieuws/2499077/plan-staatssecretaris-blokhuis-sigarettenpakjes-krijgen-neutrale-kleur|title=Plan staatssecretaris Blokhuis: sigarettenpakjes krijgen neutrale kleur|date=30 August 2018|website=Telegraaf}}</ref> The legislation also required supermarkets to hide their smoking materials.<ref>[https://dutchreview.com/news/butt-out-cigarette-packs-will-start-to-switch-to-plain-packaging-from-today/ Butt out: cigarette packs will start to switch to plain packaging from today]</ref>

===New Zealand===
New Zealand requires tobacco products to be standardised in a similar manner to Australian requirements. Legislation and associated regulations to enable standardised packaging of tobacco products came into force on 14 March 2018.<ref name= "NZ Parliament">New Zealand Parliament. [http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2016/0043/latest/DLM5821012.html?search=ts_act%40bill%40regulation%40deemedreg_Smoke-free_resel_25_a&p=1 "Smoke-free Environments (Tobacco Standardised Packaging) Amendment Act 2016"], ''Government Legislation'', September 2016. Retrieved on 16 September 2016.</ref><ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url= http://www.legislation.govt.nz/regulation/public/2017/0123/latest/whole.html|title= Smoke-free Environments Regulations 2017. Order in Council|date= 6 June 2017|access-date= 13 June 2017}}.</ref> Distributors were given six weeks to clear old stock and following this retailers were given a further six weeks to dispose of old stock.<ref name= "NZ Parliament" /> As a result, only standardised tobacco packaging was permissible after 6 June 2018.

Discussion of the need for standardised packaging (formerly called plain packaging), the passage of the legislation through Parliament, and its subsequent coming into force took six years. In April 2012, following an inquiry by the Māori Affairs Select Committee, Government (on recommendation of the then Associate Minister of Health, Dame [[Tariana Turia]]) approved plain packaging in principle, a move that tobacco companies said they would strenuously oppose.<ref>Otago Daily Times. [http://www.odt.co.nz/news/national/206216/cigarette-pack-rules-have-makers-fuming "Cigarette pack rules have makers fuming"], ''[[Otago Daily Times]]'', 20 April 2012. Retrieved on 4 May 2015.</ref> From July to October 2012 the Ministry of Health undertook a consultation which attracted over 20,000 submissions (including overseas submissions) from public health groups and also the tobacco industry.<ref>Ministry of Health. [http://www.health.govt.nz/publication/proposal-introduce-plain-packaging-tobacco-products-new-zealand html "Proposal to introduce plain packaging of tobacco products in New Zealand"], [[New Zealand Ministry of Health]], 23 July 2012. Retrieved on 4 May 2015.</ref> In February 2013 Government decided to proceed with legislative change in alignment with Australia. A Bill to require the plain packaging of tobacco products – the Smoke-free Environments (Tobacco Plain Packaging) Amendment Bill<ref>Parliamentary Counsel Office. [http://www.legislation.govt.nz/bill/government/2013/0186/latest/DLM5821008.html?src=qs html "Smoke-free Environments (Tobacco Plain Packaging) Amendment Bill"], House of Representatives, Retrieved on 4 May 2015.</ref> – was introduced on 17 December 2013.<ref name="parliament.nz">New Zealand Parliament. [http://www.parliament.nz/en-nz/pb/legislation/bills/00DBHOH_BILL12969_1/smoke-free-environments-tobacco-plain-packaging-amendment html " Smoke-free Environments (Tobacco Plain Packaging) Amendment Bill "], House of Representatives, Retrieved on 4 May 2015.</ref>
The Bill had its first reading on 11 February 2014.<ref name="parliament.nz"/> It was referred to the Health Committee for consideration which reported it back to Parliament with minor amendments on 11 August 2014<ref name="parliament.nz"/> including a change in title from 'Plain Packaging' to 'Standardised Packaging'. The Bill was stalled due to concern over legal action against the Australian government's plain packaging regime.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/235694/minister-defends-plain-packaging|title=Minister defends plain packaging|website=[[Radio New Zealand]]|date=10 February 2014|access-date=2 May 2015}}</ref> However, in February 2016, [[Prime Minister of New Zealand|Prime Minister]] [[John Key]] commented that there was now firm legal ground for plain packaging and that the measure could become law by the end of 2016.<ref>{{cite web|title=Tobacco plain packaging likely to be law by end of year – John Key|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/76917027/tobacco-plain-packaging-likely-to-be-law-by-end-of-year--john-key|website=[[Stuff.co.nz]]|first=Stacey|last=Kirk|date=15 February 2016|access-date=2 June 2016}}</ref> On 30 June 2016, the Bill was given its second reading<ref>Hansard (Debates)[https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/hansard-debates/rhr/combined/HansDeb_20160630_20160630_20],''[[New Zealand Parliament]]'', 30 June 2016. Retrieved 5 July 2016.</ref> with consideration by the Committee of the Whole House on 23 August 2016<ref>New Zealand Parliament. [https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/hansard-debates/rhr/combined/HansD_20160823_20160824], ''Hansard Debates'', 23 August 2016. Retrieved on 14 September 2016.</ref> and the third and final reading on 8 September 2016.<ref>New Zealand Parliament. [https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/hansard-debates/rhr/combined/HansD_20160908_20160908], ''Hansard Debates'', 8 September 2016. Retrieved on 14 September 2016.</ref>

On 31 May 2016, (World No Tobacco Day) the Associate Minister of Health, [[Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga]], released a consultation document on the detail of standardised packaging requirements.<ref>{{cite press release|title=Standardised packaging regulations released|url=http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1605/S00649/standardised-packaging-regulations-released.htm|via=[[Scoop Independent News]]|author=Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga|date=31 May 2016|access-date=2 June 2016}}</ref> An [[Order in Council]] was issued on 6 June 2017, making the Smoke-free Environments Regulations 2017 specifying detailed requirements for the standardised design of tobacco packages and products, and also specifying requirements for new and larger warning messages for tobacco packaging. These Regulations came into force on 14 March 2018 and since 6 June 2018, only standardised packages have been allowed for sale in New Zealand.<ref>{{Cite web|url= http://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/preventative-health-wellness/tobacco-control/plain-packaging|title= Tobacco standardised packaging|website= Ministry of Health (New Zealand)|access-date= 13 June 2017}}.</ref><ref name="auto"/>

===Norway===
In August 2012, it was believed that Norway began considering plain packaging.<ref name="theage.com.au">{{cite news|last = Zappone|first = Chris|title = Tobacco fight not over, Phillip Morris says|url = http://www.theage.com.au/business/tobacco-fight-not-over-phillip-morris-says-20120815-2488s.html#poll|access-date = 2012-08-15|newspaper = The Age|date = 2012-08-15|location = Melbourne}}</ref> On 31 May 2016 on [[World No Tobacco Day]], the Health Minister [[Bent Høie]] announced the introduction of plain packaging to Norway by 2017. The plain packaging rule applies to [[snus]] as well as cigarettes.<ref>{{cite news|last =Deshaye|first =Pierre-Henry|title = Norway backs plain packets for cigarettes|url = http://www.thelocal.no/20160531/norway-backs-plain-packets-for-cigarettes|access-date = 2017-01-02|newspaper = The Local Norway|date = 2016-05-31}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Towards a tobacco-free generation|url=https://www.regjeringen.no/en/aktuelt/towards-a-tobacco-free-generation/id2502147/|website=Government.no|date=31 May 2016|access-date=31 May 2016}}</ref>
In December 2016, the [[Norwegian Parliament]] voted overwhelmingly in favour of implementing standardised packaging for tobacco products.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.uicc.org/news/norway-adopts-standardised-packaging-save-lives-and-prevent-suffering-tobacco-use|title=Norway adopts standardised packaging to save lives and prevent suffering from tobacco use &#124; UICC|website=www.uicc.org}}</ref> The measure was introduced at the same time as the EU Tobacco Products Directive measures on packaging and labelling, taking effect on 1 July 2017. Retailers were given one year (until 1 July 2018) to transition to the new standardised cigarette packages and smokeless tobacco boxes.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://tobaccolabels.ca/countries/norway/|title=Norway &#124; Tobacco Labelling Regulations}}</ref>

===Panama===
Since 2017, the National Assembly has discussed draft Law 136 on plain packaging.<ref>{{cite news |title=Panama advocates neutral packaging of cigarettes |url=https://www.prensa.com/salud_y_ciencia/Panama-aboga-empaquetado-neutro-cigarrillo_0_4502549836.html |newspaper=[[La Prensa (Panama City)|La Prensa]]|date=10 June 2016|access-date=16 March 2018}}</ref> The bill proposes that the color of the packs be dark matte gray and that the mark be presented in white Arial font, size 20, highlighted in bold. Panama ranks second in having the lowest prevalence in the world of consumption, since only 6.4% of adults in the isthmus smoke.

===Philippines===
Anti-smoking group New Vois Association of the Philippines favored the introduction of plain cigarette packaging in the Philippines as part of their campaign on the 2016 [[World No Tobacco Day]] and urged then-presumptive president [[Rodrigo Duterte]] to implement a law to standardize cigarette packs. The [[Department of Health (Philippines)|Department of Health]] (DOH), however, is not ready to implement plain cigarette packaging, and rather focus on enforcing [[Tobacco packaging warning message|graphic health warnings]] on cigarette packs under the Graphic Health Warning Act of 2014 that took effect in March 2016.<ref>{{cite news|title=Anti-smoking group urges Duterte to adopt plain-packed cigarettes|url=http://www.sunstar.com.ph/manila/local-news/2016/05/30/anti-smoking-group-urges-duterte-adopt-plain-packed-cigarettes-476525|newspaper=[[Sun.Star]]|date=30 May 2016|access-date=10 June 2016}}</ref>

===Saudi Arabia===
In September 2018, [[Saudi Arabia]] made a declaration to the [[World Trade Organization]] that it was going to introduce plain packaging in the country.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-saudi-tobacco-idUSKCN1LS2QJ|title=Saudi Arabia tells WTO it plans to adopt plain tobacco packaging|date=2018-09-12|work=Reuters|access-date=2019-04-09|language=en}}</ref> Later in December, the Saudi Food and Drug Authority stated that plain packaging must be used by May 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.compelo.com/packaging/news/saudi-plain-packaging-tobacco/|title=Saudi Arabia to implement plain packaging on tobacco products|date=2018-12-18|website=Compelo Packaging - Latest industry news and analysis|language=en-US|access-date=2019-04-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190413030958/https://www.compelo.com/packaging/news/saudi-plain-packaging-tobacco/|archive-date=13 April 2019|url-status=dead}}</ref> The changes made Saudi Arabia the first state in the [[Arab world]] to introduce plain packaging in tobacco products. Retailers were allowed to sell their stock of non-compliant packs until the end of December 2019.

===Singapore===
On 11 February 2019, the [[Parliament of Singapore]] passed an amendment of the Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) Bill to mandating plain packaging on cigarettes, and that graphic health warning must take 75% of the packet's surface area.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.straitstimes.com/politics/parliament-cigarettes-packs-to-be-sold-in-standardised-plain-packaging|title=Parliament: Cigarettes packs to be sold in standardised plain packaging|date= 11 February 2019|website=[[The Straits Times]]|language=en|access-date=2019-04-09}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Bill to enforce plain packaging for tobacco products passed in Parliament|url=https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/plain-packaging-for-tobacco-cigarettes-bill-passed-parliament-11230234|website=Channel News Asia|access-date=12 February 2019}}</ref> The law is in force since 1 July 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|url= https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/plain-packaing-tobacco-cigarettes-july-2020-fine-jail-11679264|title= Fine, jail for offenders who do not sell tobacco products in standardised packaging from July 2020|date= 1 July 2019|website= [[CNA (news channel)|CNA]]}}.</ref>

===Slovenia===
On 15 February 2017, the [[Parliament of Slovenia]] passed a law for the introduction of plain packaging from 2020.<ref>{{cite news|title=Slovenia passes law enforcing plain tobacco packaging from 2020 |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-slovenia-tobacco-idUSKBN15U2BI|website=Reuters|date=15 February 2017|access-date=22 April 2017}}</ref>

===South Africa===
A bill seeking to introduce plain tobacco packaging has been passed by [[South Africa]] in 2018.<ref>{{Cite web|url= https://pmg.org.za/call-for-comment/665/|title= Control of Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Bill of 2018|website= Parliamentary monitoring group|date= 2018|access-date= 6 September 2019}}</ref> It is supported by local organisations against smoking like the ''National Council Against Smoking'' and by the [[World Health Organization]]. It is opposed by [[Japan Tobacco International]] and the ''Tobacco Institute of Southern Africa''.<ref>{{Cite web|url= https://citizen.co.za/news/south-africa/health/2173653/draft-tobacco-bill-council-gives-thumbs-up-to-plain-packaging/|title= Draft Tobacco Bill: Council gives thumbs-up to plain packaging|author= Sipho Mabena|date= 2 September 2019|website= [[The Citizen (South Africa)|The Citizen]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url= https://www.iol.co.za/saturday-star/news/proposed-new-smoking-laws-spark-fiery-debate-30261590|title= Proposed new smoking laws spark fiery debate|date= 3 August 2019|website= [[Independent Online (South Africa)|Independent Online]]}}</ref>

===Sweden===
In Sweden, the Minister of Health directed the committee examining the implementation of the new EU Tobacco Products Directive (2014/40 / EU) to also consider introducing plain packaging in the country. The committee report, presented in March 2016, concluded that plain packaging would require a change to one of the [[Basic Laws of Sweden]].<ref>{{Cite web|language= sv|url= https://www.regeringen.se/49357e/contentassets/a6818bf095a24080a5770001d0ea40b5/en-oversyn-av-tobakslagen_nya-steg-mot-ett-minskat-tobaksbruk.pdf|title= En översyn av tobakslagen|date= February 2016|page= 34|website= [[Government of Sweden]]}}</ref>

===Switzerland===
On 5 December 2014, [[National Council (Switzerland)|Swiss parliamentarian]] Pierre-Alain Fridez tabled a motion for plain packaging in Switzerland. A few days later, the [[Federal Council of Switzerland|Federal Council]] said it was opposed to this, saying such a measure "goes too far".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.lematin.ch/suisse/Le-Conseil-federal-s-oppose-aux-paquets-de-cigarettes-neutres/story/31905395|title=Le Conseil fédéral s'oppose aux paquets de cigarettes neutres|trans-title=The Federal Council opposes neutral packets of cigarettes|language=fr|work= [[Le Matin (Switzerland)|Le Matin]]|date=8 December 2014}}</ref>

===Thailand===
In December 2018, Thailand became the first country in Asia to pass legislation mandating plain packaging by September 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://untobaccocontrol.org/impldb/thailand-first-country-in-asia-to-adopt-tobacco-plain-packaging/|title=Thailand: first country in Asia to adopt tobacco plain packaging – WHO FCTC Implementation Database|website=World Health Organization - Framework Convention on Tobacco Control|language=en-US|access-date=2019-04-09}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/1597266/thailand-1st-in-asia-to-adopt-plain-packaging|title=Thailand 1st in Asia to adopt plain packaging|website=[[The Bangkok Post]]|access-date=2019-04-09}}</ref> The new law would also require that the graphic health warning must take 85% of packet's area. Smoking is major problem in Thailand, with half of all middle-aged men smoking.

The law entered into force on 10 September 2019. Retailers could sell their stock of non-compliant cigarettes until 8 December 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|url= https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/thailand-plain-cigarette-packaging-smoking-first-asia-11891800|title= Thailand first in Asia to roll out plain cigarette packaging|date= 10 September 2019|website= [[Channel News Asia]]}}</ref>

===Turkey===
In September 2011, ''[[Bloomberg L.P.|Bloomberg]]'' reported that the Turkish government was working on plain packaging regulations. An Istanbul-based newspaper, ''[[Milliyet]]'', reported that under the proposal all branding elements would disappear and cigarettes would come in "numbered black boxes" excluding any imagery other than health warnings.<ref>{{cite news |title=Turkey Working on Cigarette Branding Ban Law, Milliyet Says |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-09-07/turkey-working-on-cigarette-branding-ban-law-milliyet-says.html |publisher=[[Bloomberg L.P.|Bloomberg]]|date=7 September 2011|access-date=15 February 2012}}</ref> In November 2016, Health Minister [[Recep Akdağ]] stated that Turkey will "introduce plain packaging where the brand of cigarettes will almost be invisible and sellers will be obliged to store the cigarettes in closed cases instead of transparent displays" in 2017.<ref>{{cite web|title=New restrictions on cigarette sales in the works|url=https://www.dailysabah.com/turkey/2016/11/15/new-restrictions-on-cigarette-sales-in-the-works|website=The Daily Sabah|access-date=21 April 2017|location=Ankara, Turkey|date=14 November 2016}}</ref> From September 2019, Turkey is to introduce plain packaging on tobacco products and will also require the health warnings to cover 85% of the packs.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dailysabah.com/turkey/2018/12/06/turkey-adopts-plain-packaging-law-in-fight-against-smoking|title=Turkey adopts plain packaging law in fight against smoking|website=DailySabah|access-date=2018-12-18}}</ref> Plans are also afoot to raise the [[smoking age]] to 21 in the future. By 5 January 2020, no former package is allowed in the market.

===Ukraine===
In November 2019, anti-smoking activists in Kyiv including local MP Lada Bulakh of the [[Servant of the People (political party)|Servant of the People]] party announced they were petitioning a parliamentary bill to introduce plain packaging in Ukraine.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Міжнародний день відмови від куріння – страшні пачки сигарет відштовхують молодь від початку куріння|url=http://tobaccocontrol.org.ua/news/mizhnarodnii-dien-vidmovi-vid-kurinnia-strashni-pachki-sighariet-vidshtovkhuiut-molod-vid-pochatku-kurinnia|website=tobaccocontrol.org.ua|access-date=2020-05-10}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Страшні пачки сигарет відштовхнуть молодь від початку куріння|url=https://www.volyn.com.ua/news/140293-strashni-pachky-syharet-vidshtovkhnut-molod-vid-pochatku-kurinnia|date=2019-11-20|website=www.volyn.com.ua|access-date=2020-05-10}}</ref>

===United Kingdom===
In November 2013, the UK Government announced an independent review of cigarette packaging in the UK, amid calls for action to discourage young smokers.<ref name=BBC>{{cite news |title=Cigarette packaging: Ministers launch fresh review |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-25126673|access-date=28 November 2013 | work=BBC News |date=28 November 2013}}</ref> Public Health Minister [[Jane Ellison]] rejected [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]] calls for immediate regulation rather than a review, saying: "It's a year this weekend since the legislation was introduced in Australia. It's the right time to ask people to look at this."

The "Plain Packs Protect" campaign by an alliance of health organisations set out the case for tobacco plain packaging in the UK, as did Cancer Research UK's "The Answer Is Plain" campaign, which was launched soon after the government consultation was announced. Opposing this was the smokers' rights group [[FOREST]], which launched a counter-campaign titled "Hands Off Our Packs".<ref name=BBC />

In March 2015, the House of Commons voted 367–113 in favour of introducing plain cigarette packaging. Plain packaging is required for cigarettes manufactured after 20 May 2016 or sold after 21 May 2017.<ref name="UK-vote">{{cite news|title=MPs pass legislation to introduce standardised cigarette packaging|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/mar/11/mps-pass-legislation-introduce-standardised-cigarette-packaging|date=11 March 2015|access-date=29 March 2015|newspaper=The Guardian}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=UK Government Legislation: The Standardised Packaging of Tobacco Products Regulations 2015|url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2015/829/contents/made|access-date=29 October 2018}}</ref>

The UK regulations forbid "logos or promotional images … inserts … discounts … offers … information about nicotine, tar or carbon monoxide … lifestyle or environmental benefits [and] mentions or depictions of taste, smell or the absence thereof", while mandating "drab dark brown coloured packaging", specific package shapes and a specific font (Helvetica 14-point) for brand names.<ref>{{cite web|title=UK Government: Guidance: Packaging of tobacco products|access-date=29 October 2018|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/packaging-of-tobacco-products}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Cigarette packets in Australia]]
* [[Tobacco packaging warning messages]]
* [[Health effects of tobacco]]
* [[Tobacco advertising]]
* [[Cigarette pack]]
* [[Tobacco control]]
* [[Tobacco display ban]]
* [[WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control]]
* [[Youth smoking]]
* [[Cigarette smoking among college students]]
* [[Regulation of nicotine marketing]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}

;World Health Organization
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20191128110358/http://origin.who.int/tobacco/publications/industry/tobacco-plain-packaging-global-status-update/en/ Tobacco plain packaging: global status update 2018]

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[[Category:2011 in Australia]]
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[[Category:2016 in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:2016 in Hungary]]
[[Category:2017 in Norway]]
[[Category:2017 in Ireland]]
[[Category:2018 in Belgium]]
[[Category:Australian inventions]]
[[Category:Cigarettes]]
[[Category:Cigarette packaging]]
[[Category:Tobacco control]]
[[Category:Intellectual property law]]
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