Australia introduces plain packaging for cigarettes, bans company logosDecember 1, 2012 - 19:55 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Australia has become the first country in the world to introduce plain packaging for cigarettes. From now, all tobacco company logos and colours will be banned from packets, BBC News repoted. They have been replaced by a dreary, uniform, green/brown, colour accompanied by a raft of anti-smoking messages and photographs. The only concession to the tobacco companies is their name and the name of the brand variant in small print at the bottom of the box. "This is the last gasp of a dying industry," declared Australia's Health Minister Tanya Plibersek. Anne Jones of the anti-smoking group Ash (Action on Smoking and Health) agrees. "Plain packaging has taken the personality away from the pack", she says. "Once you take away all the colour coding and imagery and everything is standardised with massive health warnings, you really do de-glamorise the product." Cigarette packets were practically the last platform for tobacco companies to advertise themselves. Commercials on Australian television and radio were banned in 1976. Newspapers followed in 1989. Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Titus, Bilirakis lead legislation to sanction Azerbaijani war criminals Representatives Dina Titus (D-NV) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) have introduced the bipartisan legislation. Armenia: Defense Ministry warns against involving army in political processes The Ministry’s statement came after a video surfaced online, showing soldiers joining the protests in Tavush. Scholz hopes Armenia-Azerbaijan peace treaty will be signed this year German Chancellor Olaf Scholz hopes that a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan will be signed this year. Ucom equips four bus stops in Ijevan with free Wi-Fi Ucom now provides free Wi-Fi coverage in smart bus stops in four communities of Ijevan. |