Australia's Federal Government's move to increase cigarette taxes up to 25 percent which will increase prices by up to $3 a pack or $15 a week with simpler packs is considered to be just a "waste of time" for some smokers.
According to Australian Medical Association, four million Australians are smokers and this rate is lower compared in low socio-economic areas, prison and indigenous segments of the population.
People from Centro Wodonga voiced out their opinions regarding the changes made.
"I am more worried about the price of smokes going up," Darren Pollard said.
"The change in packaging will make no difference to young people. They will smoke if they want to smoke."
But Andrew Lavender, state president from AMA believes that the new regulations will force smokers to stop the habit.
"We would like to see the cost of cigarettes increased even further because it's the single biggest way we can make people give up smoking.
"Cigarettes are still about 50 per cent cheaper here than in Europe."
Dr. Lavender reveals that plain cigarette packs particularly targets the youth and those people who are just about to begin smoking.
"Cigarette makers are in the business of selling cancer; ideally it would be illegal but they should not be able to make it attractive as a means of trying to sell it to the youth."
The law is foreseen to start by July 1, 2012 banning the use of attractive texts, branding and logos on cigarette packets.
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