The dinosaurs have reemerged...the multiple barrows being pushed here are many.
One is, freedom to kill yourself and those around you.
Another, is misguided support for the tobacco industry, and its loss at the hands of politicians the industry had eating out of its hands.
Ideological; the unintelligent belief among some, any government intervention into public health and welfare is " nanny-statism".
Or simply, a rage at loss of power to pick a good quality Cuban Cigar, since the introduction of plain packaging laws in Australia.

Quite frankly, how such a highly addictive and destructive drug can be sold publicly over the counter in any guise, defies logic.
Add to this the softening of laws for medical purposes to include cannabis, which subtly plays into the hands of the tobacco industry, and the future of tobacco as an industry is assured, so worry not.

Of course the fall in smoking rates is lower now that the low hanging fruit is gone. The effect of plain packaging was always going to be to discourage people from taking up smoking rather than to deter existing smokers.

If a servo fails to organise its cigarettes alphabetically to avoid problems locating them, that's their problem not mine. If it's that much of a problem to customers, they'll go elsewhere - there are plenty of servos, tobacconists and supermarkets selling them.

And the claim that 15% of smokers buy smuggled cigarettes is dubious. I suspect it either involves double counting or includes legally acquired duty free cigarettes.

Mostly agree with Diver's take on this piece of GIGO, tobacco industry support BS! And can only add, medical cannabis is not smoked, but delivered as a prescribed tablet or capsule!

Anyhow, if Amanda hadn't been a self centred little bar steward! Able to fly into a self harming rage, because nobody else sees her as a VIP, whose antisocial addiction harms others as well as her. Tough!

Freeloading cousin Amanda paid me an uninvited visit last week, when the grandkids were here. And typical of a tobacco addict, had the winnies out and attached her face to the end of one, even before others had finished eating. Even as I showed her the no smoking sign!

[Next time it will be the no entry sign!]

One of the tin lids is a severe asthmatic, and objected to smoke being blown in her face by an as usual, for the addicted Amanda, completely oblivious to the discomfort her filthy, disgusting, pongy yuk, they are not feeding the camels the way they used to, habit caused for others!

When the tin lid spoke up and said, and I paraphrase, that horse manure is coming straight in my face!

Typically for the seasoned tobacco addict, an entirely uncaring Amanda replied, well shift your face then!

One suspects David would likely agree with Amanda's, I don't give a rats, puerile position!?

People usually get into politics because they care, well they used to!

Stick them in your ears brother! Maybe you can smoke some sense into that tarred and found wanting, walnut sized, tobacco tar tanned carbunkle, merely manifestly masquerading as a brain?
Alan B.

Al my dear chap...

let me expand on dot point medical cannabis, and the joy it is for tobacco giants...
The con job being done on the community by legalising medical use of cannabis, is to present half the truth.

Legalising cannabis for recreational use comes next. (USA). About time you may say.
No I say. Over here will become like over there, free flowing hooch is big business for big tobacco...and this poly knows it...this is his second pro tobacco article designed to soften people up.
Maybe he should fess-up and admit his involvement with big tobacco!

Research:
Waiting for the opportune moment: the tobacco industry and marijuana legalization.

Findings:
(Small extract)...
*Since at least the 1970s, tobacco companies have been interested in marijuana and marijuana legalization as both a potential and a rival product. As public opinion shifted and governments began relaxing laws pertaining to marijuana criminalization, the tobacco companies modified their corporate planning strategies to prepare for future consumer demand.*

Link...
http://europepmc.org/articles/pmc4089369...

That smoking rates started dropping rapidly after the introduction of plain packaging and a massive (nearly 30%) hike in tobacco tax is not in dispute. However, ascribing this success solely to the plain packaging is more than disingenuous.

That the trend in cigarette purchases remained flat for nearly half a year, and then suddenly started to drop when the tax was radically hiked indicates that most, if not all, the drop in smoking was due to the massive tax hike and not the plain packaging.

That the newly invigorated and growing black market trade in tobacco (also plain packaged) is thriving to the point of providing an estimated 15% of the market (and zero tax revenue) shows that some of the recorded drop in smoking is not happening.