Package Warnings Update
Cigarette packet covers conceal health warnings
By ALEISHA ORR
30 June 2006 CIGARETTE packet covers that conceal the new graphic health warnings have proven popular among Goldfields smokers despite the Australian Medical Association's bid to ban them. The new covers slip over cigarette packets and come in a range of colours and designs from flames to butterflies. The cigarette cases have been on sale for the past couple of weeks at Tom and Fred's Supermarket in Boulder and have been popular with consumers, selling for $1 each. Tom and Fred's Supermarket manager Rick Norman said he had no issues with selling the covers. "The government might kick up because of all the money they spent on the warnings, but if the government was serious about smoking they would ban it altogether," Mr Norman said. "No one wants to look at the gross images, whether they be smokers or non smokers having to see the images sitting on your desk," Kalgoorlie resident and smoker Tracy McCrea said. New South Wales company Red Internationale is distributing their cigarette packet covers known as Kuverz, nationwide. Company director Kim Jessop who quit smoking cigarettes himself because of health problems, said smokers did not want to be constantly looking at the graphic warnings or going out in public and having to put their smokes down on a table where everyone, including non smokers, could see the images. "Cigarette cases have been around for a long time and these are no different to a stubby holder really," he said. But Australian Medical Association Doctor Christopher Cain said people seemed to be profiteering from this whole process and it should be outlawed. "The message needs to get across to the community that smoking is bad for you," he said. Read
Minister outraged over AFL-style cigarette packaging
May 31, 2006 The South Australian Minister for Substance Abuse has described as repugnant the use of sleeves to conceal graphic warnings on cigarette packets about the dangers of tobacco. It has been reported that Annie Wicker, the wife of SANFL chief executive Leigh Wicker, has developed covers in the colours of AFL clubs the Adelaide Crows and Port Power. Minister Gail Gago says the covers are legal but she will consider writing a letter to try to have the product removed from the market. "I do find it morally repugnant and I'm happy to write to her and express my views, I don't have a problem with that," she said. "I find it pretty morally repugnant to see attempts to sanitise and glamorise the harms of cigarette smoking and particularly that association with football teams and colours because clearly that's trying to target young boys and men." The State Government says it will work closely with the Federal Government to restrict the use of sleeves. Parliamentary Secretary to the Federal Health Minister, Christopher Pyne says he will draft legislation to regulate the use of such products. AFL media manager Patrick Keane says the league is powerless to stop the cigarette covers because they only use the club's colours, not logos. He says it would be difficult to exert influence over the product's producers. "If the partner of the person, that person doesn't have any link to football, what their other half may do is a separate matter," he said. "That seems a vague area for the AFL to start addressing someone's partner, who has no link to the industry you work in, that's a difficult question." Read
Ads spur cigarette case revival
28 May 06
GILL VOWLES
TASMANIAN tobacconists are making a fortune from the introduction of new cigarette packaging.
The new packets, which feature graphic photographs of smoking-related illnesses, are not turning smokers off their habit.
Instead smokers are flooding tobacconists to buy cigarette cases or new "skins" to cover the packaging.
Burnie retailer Tony Medwin, of North West Shoe Repairs, said since the introduction of the new cigarette packets he'd been struggling to keep up with the demand for cigarette cases.
"Our turnover in cigarette cases has increased by 75 per cent since the new packets came out," Mr Medwin said.
"We are struggling to meet the demand. It has been an absolute windfall for us."
Mr Medwin said smokers were telling him they wouldn't look at the "god awful" pictures.
"I can't repeat most of what they are saying to me but smokers are definitely saying they are not going to stop smoking because of the new packaging."
Burnie smoker Lesley Close said she had been appalled when she'd first seen the new packaging.
"I could not believe I was expected to inflict those photographs on other people," Ms Close said.
"I usually leave my cigarettes on my desk at work but there was no way I was going to subject my colleagues to those disgusting pictures.
"It's like having to carry pornography around and I can't even begin to imagine the effect those photographs would have on small children."
Ms Close said she believed smokers were being discriminated against.
"We are constantly being told diabetes rates are out of control and that the disease is going to be a huge drain on our health system.
"But you don't see health warnings, or graphic pictures of diabetics with gangrene, on junk-food wrappers.
"And there are no graphic photographs or warnings on alcohol or a range of other products which have been directly linked with health problems."
Ms Close said although she thought the graphic pictures were "revolting" they had not made her want to give up smoking.
"These pictures do make you feel worse about your smoking, but they also make you more determined to stand up for your right to continue to do something which is totally legal.
"If the government was really serious about wanting people to give up smoking, they'd ban the sale of cigarettes and make them an illegal product.
"But they're not going to do that because they are making too much money out of it."
Ms Close said all the smokers she knew were buying cigarette cases.
"They say they are not ready to give up and they are not going to carry these sort of packets around with them," she said.
"Cigarette cases are becoming the latest fashion accessory."
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