Norway works towards the adoption of plain packaging

The Norwegian Minister of Health and Care Services announced  that the Government initiated a consultation on a proposal to introduce plain packaging legislation in Norway. The Government proposal means that all tobacco products sold in Norway will have standardised packaging. The goal is to prevent tobacco use among children and young people. Smoking remains one of most significant public health challenges in Norway. Every year, about 6600 people in Norway die from diseases caused by smoking.

Norway is planning to follow Australia's introduction of similar plain packaging legislation in 2012 which shows clear positive results. In Ireland, a plain packaging decision was adopted in late February 2015. Several other European countries such as the United Kingdom, Norway, France, Finland, Turkey are currently working for plain packaging.