Children 'Targeted' By Tobacco Packaging

Tobacco companies have been criticised for using packaging that attracts teenagers and children.

The charity Cancer Research UK reviewed industry documents from the last 50 years and states that some described how packaging had been developed to appeal to new smokers, notably teenagers, through its size, colour and design.

Their Packaging of Tobacco Products report will be considered as part of a UK-wide consultation on whether cigarettes should be stripped of their branding and sold in plain, standardised packets.

Cancer Research UK launched its The Answer is Plain campaign , asking people to sign a petition to remove all branding from tobacco packaging.

It has released a video which shows a group of 10-year-old children discussing cigarette boxes, to illustrate how young people are affected by the different colours and designs.

Some of the children's comments include: "It makes you feel like you're in a wonderland of happiness", "It reminds me of a Ferrari", "Is that the Royal sign?" and "Yeah. Pink, pink, pink".

Eight out of ten smokers start by the age of 19.

Vicky Crichton, Cancer Research UK's public affairs manager in Scotland, said: "In Scotland, 24% of adults are smokers, which is higher than the British average. We know many Scots take up the habit young and this report shows that children are drawn to the colourful and slick designs without having a full understanding of how deadly the product is inside the pack."

Ovarian cancer survivor Rosa Macpherson, 55, from Alloa, started smoking at the age of 12.

The mother-of-one said: "I can certainly remember as a child the impact that different cigarette packs had on me when I was starting to smoke. The cigarettes I picked were long and slim, elegant I thought, and presented in a glamorous-looking pack that fitted snugly in my handbag.

"But cigarettes are not toys or fashion statements. They turn your fingers and teeth yellow, are incredibly addictive and, ultimately, they kill people. They shouldn't be presented in a way that is attractive in any shape or form."