February 17, 2015

evidence on standardised packing of tobacco products

The English government intends to put regulations on standardised packaging of tobacco products to a vote before the general election in May 2015. If the vote is passed, England will be the second country in the world to mandate standardised packaging, following Australia’s example.

The evidence base for standardised packaging is growing, and the scientific journal Addiction has played a key role in that growth. In the lead-up to the vote, Addiction is publishing a collection of peer-reviewed research papers and commentaries from 2008 to 2015 that bring together key parts of the evidence base for standardised packaging.

Evidence will cover:

• Can standardised packs lead existing smokers to stop?
• How will standardised packs affect brand appeal?
• How will standardised packs affect response to graphic health warnings?

Speakers:

Prof. Ann McNeill, Professor of Tobacco Addiction, National Addiction Centre, Kings College London

Prof. Robert West, Director of Tobacco Studies, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London

Prof. Marcus Munafò, Professor of Biological Psychology, UK Centre for Tobacco and Alcohol Studies, University of Bristol