some smokers have been contacting the department with incidents of a perceived change in the flavours of the cigarettes, despite the fact that the ingredients had not changed. smokers have experienced a change in the way their cigarettes taste as the australia&39s worldfirst tobacco plain packaging laws introduced in the month of december. under the laws, which won the high court battle against the tobacco industry, it is banned to carry branding on cigarette packets. graphic health warnings and olive green packaging have replaced colors and logos. in senate estimate of nathan smyth, who is from the department of health and ageing, revealed the plain packaging modifications had lead to some interesting anecdotal facts. he said some smokers were contacting the department with incidents of a perceived change in the flavors of the cigarettes, despite the fact that the ingredients had not changed. he mentioned the new and large graphic health warnings, which are illustrations of people suffering with smokingrelated illnesses, on every packet seemed to be having the intended effect. smyth further said that a lot of people have reported that they&39ve experienced the taste sensation far poorer than they had thought. it has definitely changed some perceptions out there. he further mentioned that would be the sensory perception which is associated with some packaging element that&39s now gone and they&39ve been left with the raw flavor of what the product&rsquos about with no sensory association. sharon appleyard, who is from the department&39s tobacco control taskforce, mentioned that, people used to associate the branding with taste in the past. she mentioned the absence of branding had eliminated the appeal of smoking. ms appleyard said this is what marketing is all about, correlating different experiences with marketing and advertising and now alteration in packaging makes people believe that the taste has changed. she mentioned there was anecdotal proof that the health warnings were also compelling some smokers to at least think of the idea of quitting. according to her, smokers are finding those health warnings in graphics for them are disturbing. therefore, tobacco control taskforce has had people reporting them that they are thinking of quitting or are going to quit smoking. mr smyth mentioned there was also indication of an increase in calls to the quit line, even though he agreed this could equally be an outcome of people making new year&rsquos resolutions. both ms appleyard and mr smyth mentioned it was too early to measure the success of the laws in falling smoking rates. source of information httpwww.whitsundaytimes.com.aunewsaussmokerslosetheirtasteplainpackagedcigs…
