In the first week of November, the government of the United Kingdom declared that the ban on tobacco displays in the points of sale will be weakened, because the lawmakers from the Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition agreed that it could hurt small stores and benefit to black-market and smuggling of tobacco products.

This week it was declared that the UK government is considering requiring cigarette companies to pack their products in plain brown packages in an attempt to prevent teenagers from being lured by colorful tobacco packaging and stop them from starting to smoke. Andrew Lansley, the Secretary of State for Health said they have been studying the possibility of introducing the measure which would be one of the most severe public health ordinances ever adopted in the United Kingdom.

Public Health groups praised the move to ban colors and logos on cigarette packs and stated that this measure could be equally effective as the ban on smoking in public places implemented in 2007. Still, the government could face a legal action if they approve it.

The health Secretary said that they have to consider new methods and make decision to promote healthy lifestyles. “That is the reason why we are willing to consider the idea of introducing plain packaging,” he admitted. “It is evident that appealing packaging encourages young people to take up the habit, so the idea of requiring unattractive packaging makes sense, as that is completely wrong that adolescents are being tempted to smoke by glamorous designs on cigarette packs.”

Lansley underlined that the need to prevent adolescents from taking up smoking has been their principal motivation for considering a measure which according to tobacco industry is dramatically harmful to small businesses.

He also noted that other measures to restrict tobacco consumption are likely to follow, and could be revealed in his paper on public health, due to be published next week. “The rate of health complications and premature deaths related to smoking are very high, and affect the NHS and economy in general,” said Lansley.

The readiness of health secretary to implement such radical measure against tobacco industry gained delight and support from various medical organizations “We are more than pleased to know that the health secretary is considering the plain packaging of tobacco products. Tobacco Companies spend millions every year on this marketing strategy to make their products appealing and increase sales, by targeting younger generations, said the British Medical Association spokesperson.

Australia is going to become the first nation across the globe to implement plain packaging measure in 2012, whereas tobacco companies have been preparing for the legal fight to turn down this measure.

However, Lansley decision to consider plain packaging measure is a surprise, since The Conservative Party that measure when Gordon Brown’s Labour administration was considering it.