August 29, 2011 - Australia will soon become the first nation to require tobacco products to be sold in plain, unbranded packages, a move that might encourage other countries to follow suit. The laws passed by the lower house will ban logos and color variations on cigarette packages. All packaging will be olive green and carry health warnings within six months from January 1st, 2012. Health Minister Nicola Roxon announced the move last April, along with  a 25 percent tobacco tax increase and a A$85 million advertising campaign to combat smoking.  The government says tobacco related illnesses kill 15,000 Australians each year and cost A$31 billion per year in health and workplace costs. “There isn’t any safe amount of tobacco you can smoke,” said Roxon. “It will kill you eventually and we obviously want to make sure the message is loud and clear.”  Tobacco companies have since introduced their own advertising campaigns and legal actions against the move.

For more information, please visit http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-08-24/australia-s-lower-house-passes-plain-tobacco-packaging-laws.html