The Middlesex-London Health Unit has teamed up with its counterparts in other jurisdictions to call on the government to standardize packaging of tobacco products with plain designs free of branding.
The health unit timed its announcement with World No Tobacco Day on May 31, a global day of activism in “standing against the tobacco industry.”
The MLHU did a social media blitz along with its campaign partners — organized under the youth-driven Free the Industry banner.
The campaign is called “Plain. Simple. Standard.,” leveraging the Thunderclap platform, which mobilizes individuals towards various causes through social media. The goal is to bring awareness to Canadians of the plain packaging proposal already being mulled by the federal government.
“With most forms of tobacco advertising already banned in Canada, tobacco packages have
become flashy, mini-billboards designed to build customer loyalty, while reducing the visibility
and impact of graphic health warnings,” says Linda Stobo, Tobacco Control and Chronic
Disease Prevention Manager, Middlesex-London Health Unit. “Plain and standardized
packaging means all packs, regardless of brand, would be the same colour, with brand
names included on the pack in a standardized font; leaving the graphic health warning as the
only feature of the package.”
France, the United Kingdom and Australia already require plain packaging on tobacco products, citing research showing young people are dissuaded from taking up smoking because of it and regular smokers decrease frequency.
The federal government launched a public consultation on plain packaging a year ago but has yet to institute any new regulations.
MLHU hopes its campaign will drive people to support this proposal.
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