Australia - first look at the plainer, uglier cigarette packets..

April 7, 2010 - Health Minister Nicola Roxon says she wants all cigarette packaging to be olive green, because research shows it is the least attractive colour for smokers. Under proposed legislation aimed at reducing smoking rates in Australia, all logos will be removed from cigarette packaging, and tobacco companies will be required to print their brand name in a specific font.

VIDEO- Watch Health Minister Nicola Roxon interview with Lateline..

CONSULTATION PAPER Tobacco Plain Packaging Bill 2011 Exposure Draft 7 April 2011

Some background:
January 16, 2011 - Australia - Philip Morris (PMI) searching for ways to prevent plain packaging of tobacco products coming in 2012..;

October 14 , 2010 - Australia - world set to follow Australian tobacco policy..;

September 19, 2010 - Australia - plain cigarette packaging will legislation be written to avoid any legal challenge..;

August 4, 2001 - Australia - big tobacco fighting back against plans to introduce plain cigarette packaging..;

April 29, 2010 - Australia - plain packages on all tobacco products within 2-years...

The Tobacco Plain Packaging Bill 2011 is due to be introduced during the winter sitting of Parliament, after a 60-day period for public comment on the draft legislation.

If all goes to plan, the changes would come into effect on January 1, 2012 and all products on sale will be required to comply with the new laws within six months.

Ms Roxon said the new packaging had been consumer tested on smokers around the country and found to be the least appealing.

"We want to get the Australian smoking rate down to 10 per cent by 2018," she said.

Ms Roxon said tobacco companies would be able to use certain markings to stop counterfeit issues.

"We might be breaking ground but we are on firm ground and others will follow us," Ms Roxon said.

References: Roxon to unveil no-frills cigarette pack plan, ABC News, 4/7/2011; No-frills fight against Big Tobacco: Cigarette packets to be ugly olive green by Andrew Banks and AAP, 4/7/2011; Australia gets tough on cigarette packs, News24, 4/7/2011.