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A move to put graphic images of corpses and diseases on cigarette packets in the United States has been hailed by an Australian smoking expert as one of the biggest steps forward in the global fight against tobacco.

Cigarette sellers in the US will be forced to use the imagery in advertisements to highlight smoking risks as part of the biggest change to tobacco marketing rules in 25 years, the US Food and Drug Administration has announced.

Nine out of 36 images will be selected from photos of dead bodies, rotting teeth, cancerous lungs and children being exposed to second-hand smoke.

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Australian Council on Smoking and Health president Mike Daube said the campaign signalled the end of the tobacco industry's reign of control over Washington.

"I think it is phenomenal progress in the US and it's the biggest step forward in the tobacco industry since cigarette advertisements in the US were taken off television," he said.

Since the addition of 'graphic health warning' images on Australian sold cigarette packages has had such a good impact (I am still smoking :/) - I guess it won't hurt to try this?

I am still curious though as to how, exactly, this encourages people to quit....call me naive perhaps.

Sylvestor

'It is sort of an inevitable step along a spectrum of taking action against tobacco.

Dear Ms Roxon,

Forgive my naivete. Can you please provide me with some help in understanding your new legislative policy direction on this matter.

Yes, I am a smoker.

Yes, I intend to quit, and to be honest, if you intend to reduce the total number of smokers, including me, I would like you to explain how this move will help.

In fact, at present, whenever I cannot obtain my usual brand and strength of cigarette, it is impossible to know what is the equivalent or lower strength of cigarette as a result of packaging laws prohibiting the listing of nicotine strengths and related product names. I have, in fact, found myself smoking stronger, and one could assume, more harmful cigarettes as a result!

Some may tell me to just give up. That's fine. I will. But, firstly, I am not sure how plain packaging is going to assist me with this. You may ask why should the Government help in the first place? Well, and secondly, it is the Government that is choosing to try and reduce the number of smokers. Surely then, there is a responsibility here to assist? No?

Perhaps if I was addicted to heroin, I could obtain Government assisted programs to provide me with support to quit that addiction!

I don't disagree with the fact tobacco cigarettes create health risks to smokers and people around them. I don't disagree with this at all. Yes, if the Government, representing the people, want to remove this from our society, then, Ms Roxon, please explain to me exactly, how plain packaging is going to achieve this?

This is not about the tobacco companies. This is about government policy and direction. I think, as someone with a vested interest, I deserve some help in understanding this!

Ms Roxon, perhaps, rather than wasting time, energy and money on this sort of nonsense (as that is all I can see this as), perhaps you could invest energies in providing some 'real support'!

Let me know, I have experience as a smoker, and am more than happy to share some thoughts on this.

With regards,

Sylvestor

The Australian Council on Smoking and Health president Mike Daube thinks the laws will help more people quit smoking.

"It means quite simply that we're going to be saving more lives and preventing more disease," he said.

Quite simply....bull dust! This won't stop disease! This won't help people quit. This is just to satiate those opposed to smoking while maintaining the addictive drug supply to the users. Could just ban cigarette sales? Before anyone slams me about the "power of the tobacco cartels" - if the intent was about stopping smoking, the Government could indeed outlaw tobacco sales in this state/country. They don't and they won't...its just another sham.

Sylvestor