The government in late February will seek public input on whether to mandate uniform packaging for tobacco products, the Ministry of Health and Care Services said.

The proposal goes beyond cigarettes and hand-rolled tobaccos to smokeless products like snus.“We know that young people are influenced by the appearance of tobacco packaging. Packaging may be what makes them try tobacco for the first time, or what deters them from it”, said Health Minister Bent Høie. Snus use among young people has sharply increased in the past decade, an increase attributable to introduction of packaging and flavours designed to appeal to youth, he said.
The proposal would mandate size, font and location of branding and a standard dark/dull green colour for packaging with health warnings covering most of the packaging surface, the ministry said. Australia introduced olive brown plain packs for tobacco products in 2012. The United Kingdom, France, Finland and New Zealand are among countries considering some form of plain pack legislation.