Plain cigarette packs may cut number of smokers, evidence review finds

Standardised cigarette packaging may reduce the number of people who smoke, a Cochrane review has concluded.1

Standardised packaging for all tobacco packs comes into full effect in the UK next month. The rules require packs to be produced in a drab dark brown, with only minimal text including the manufacturer’s brand name in size 14 font.2

Australia was the first country to implement standardised tobacco packaging, from October 2012. France implemented it on 1 January 2017, and several other countries are planning to follow suit.

The Cochrane researchers found 51 studies that looked at standardised packaging. However, …