Plain tobacco packaging urged countries to consider plain packaging, and noted that Bhutan had banned the sale of tobacco earlier in 2011. New Zealand Associate Health Minister Tariana Turia congratulated the Australian Health Minister, noted that tobacco labelling rules have long been harmonised between Australia and New Zealand, and looked forward to New Zealand following suit. In April 2011, Minister Roxon released an exposure draft of plain packaging legislation with an expected start date of 1 July 2012. Australian newspapers reported that the legislation was likely to pass despite concerns from the Opposition. It was suggested the Opposition resistance to the legislation was
Plain tobacco packaging trade of drastically cheaper cigarettes had significantly increased, but an article in The British Medical Journal refutes this. After one year of plain cigarette packaging rule implementation, a special supplement to the British Medical Journal described that before plain packaging implementation 20% smokers want to quit, but after implementation 27% smokers want to quit. The study found that plain packaging reduces brand appeal and brand image of tobacco products. If true, this would foretell fewer new smokers taking up the habit. An analysis of Philip Morris claims that "the data is clear that overall tobacco consumption and smoking prevalence has