This is a photo of my brothers and I carrying my dad's coffin. You may have noticed the coffin is painted (by my talented sister Tania Ferrier) as a carton of cigarettes, Marlboro Reds to be exact, it was his brand. Before dad died he also asked me to give his eulogy and remind everyone that he wanted to be cremated so he 'could light up one last time'. Dad smoked at least a pack a day until he died of cancer in 1996. Dad was a Judge, a relatively conservative chap - but one with a wicked sense of humour.
I've never had a cigarette in my life, for some reason it’s not that appealing to me. So it is with extra interest that I examine the moves by the federal government last week to remove all branding from cigarettes, and raise the price (again). It’s enough to make a smoker turn in their grave. It’s enough to make a non-smoker take a deep sigh of relief. Smoking is the only legal product in the world that if used exactly to the manufacturers directions will do you harm. It is categorically different to any other legal product in the world - and therefore its availability should be tightly regulated. Guns, ‘don’t point them at people’, alcohol ‘fine just don’t drink to excess’, gambling ‘it can be fun – but don’t over do it’, sugary foods ‘they are OK in moderation – just brush your teeth afterwards’. Smoking? ‘Ummmm?'
Having spent some time understanding brands and the power they can have over people (and having seen it first hand above) I can only applaud the Federal Government for their actions. Working in conjunction will all the marketing levers being pulled from under the cigarette companies legs, it will no doubt be effective:
- Price: The price is going up, and this has been shown to impact more on people from lower socio-economic status, people more likely to smoke
- Promotion: No broadcast communications allowed.
- Placement: Distribution is tightly controlled, where you can enjoy them is even more tightly controlled.
- Packaging: No brand building motifs, or recognisable symbols anywhere. Research shows that increasingly plainer packaging makes cigarettes appear less aspirational, less tasty, and of poorer quality.
It is no wonder we have one of the lowest smoking rates in the world. Currently we hover at around 19% of adults (this is 2007, but it's actually less now) and it's decreasing all the time. Smokers days are numbered and I think it’s a good thing. The regulation of cigarettes has resulted in less people smoking. The result will be a healthier, and consequently happier country.
