Research undermines tobacco industry's plain packaging claims

Both studies were conducted by the ASPIRE2025 research group, which includes Professors Janet Hoek and Phil Gendall working from Otago's Department of Marketing, and Professor Richard Edwards from the University's Department of Public Health (Wellington).

Java Training CoursesThe first study involved a survey of 418 smokers and 418 non-smokers in New Zealand and was carried out in March 2012. The study has been published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health.Professor Hoek says the survey found strong support for plain packaging.

Industry Trends"Overall, more than two-thirds of respondents supported plain packaging.

It's important to note that we undertook the survey before the current debate over plain packaging, so this estimate shows very high instinctive support for a policy that people had heard little about at the time," she says.Professor Hoek notes that when legislation introducing smoke-free bars and restaurants was passed in 2003, surveys showed support levels of around 35%. Since then, however, support has grown significantly. Now well over 80% of New Zealanders support smokefree bars and restaurants.

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