Some Smokers Believe Branded Cigarettes Are Less Harmful

 In a recent survey, more than twenty-five percent of young smokers aged 16 to 25, said they believe cigarettes in branded packaging are less harmful than those packaged in a plain design; based on the packaging and design alone.

Because many young people are not fully aware of the risks of smoking, the aggressive branding strategies employed by Tabacco companies, such as glitzy and eye-catching packaging; can be more persuasive. In fact, one in six young smokers surveyed said they would consider the pack design when deciding which cigarettes to buy. Furthermore, 12 percent surveyed said they would choose a brand, because it was considered "cool."

Although tobacco advertising is banned in several regions, tobacco companies can still make effective use their packaging to promote their brand and mislead consumers. In perhaps the strongest and most disturbing example of this misconception, 25 percent of regular smokers aged 16 to 25 believed a branded pack of cigarettes, was less harmful than another.

In light of the mounting evidence of this aggressive brand building strategy, governments from around the world are considering adopting Australia's progressive lead, and banning all eye-catching designs and branding from cigarette packaging; to deter young people from being lured into smoking. In a desperate move to preserve their precious branding opportunity, the Tobacco Manufacturers' Association argues that the introduction of "plain packs, would likely lead to yet further increases in the illicit trade in tobacco products, by making them much easier for a counterfeiter to copy; than existing branded packs."