Plain cigarette packaging has arrived, but will it reduce smoking?

UK legislation introduced today bans the tobacco industry from using branding on their cigarette packaging. But will it change the number of smokers?

From today, brightly coloured branding will be stripped from tobacco packs when standardised (or 'plain') cigarette packaging legislation comes in to effect.

Cigarette packs will now be a single colour - 'Pantone 448 C opaque couchi(C)' (according to market research the 'world's ugliest colour'), and the brand name will be written in a standard font, size and location. New health warnings covering 60% of the pack will also be introduced. All cigarette packs and tobacco pouches manufactured for sale in the UK from now on will have to comply with these regulations, and within a year there should be no branded packs on shelves at all. Ireland and France are also introducing this legislation today.