So what does plain packaging look like?

[poisonowns]

Prez, What if HSA shipped all boxes with carboard outers like they do with some RE's and EL's

Could you put the pictures on the carbourd outer and leave the dress box inside unmolested?

My thoughts exactly-- a sleeve that the box could be slid out of.

As for bands, less is more as far as I'm concerned, but I do like having something to identify the smokes in my singles drawers.

[dvickery]

Cabinets (slide lid boxes) with no bands.

i am all for "plain packaging" if this is the end product .

derrek

[Blakes]

Aftermarket box's may start showing up. Company's making cab's, dress boxes etc.. with all the artwork that won't need to comply as they don't contain any tobacco.

[CaptainQuintero]

Yep echo others, easy answer:

-no more bands (plus cuts down production costs for HSA, don't worry keep the savings don't bother about a price drop to reflect this)

-Boxes or SLBs etc cover in cellophane similar to the type used to make the plastic slip that protects/seals cigarette cartons/old machine made cigars . - distributors can put labels onto that, but the cigar box would remain untouched underneath and everything would come off when the cellophane is removed

If this violates the laws then go all cedar SLB and wrap each box in plain brown/white paper?

------

The UK has reopened the debate, I say debate; were told what's going to happen! So it will come in soon too.

The minister in charge constantly repeats this is due to the 'success of the Australian model'

When asked for scientific proof about plain packaging she simply said something like 'of there are lots of new studies now, I suggest you research them yourself'

When asked about the logical extension of PP towards food and alcohol she said that the difference between those was that tobacco at any level causes damage.

Apparently alcohol is utterly safe up to a certain point, but walking past someone who smoked a *** the week before can damage you now!

And yes, we have 'third hand smoke' discussion going in here :/

The amount of people here who simply nod their heads and let this stuff happen is scary. Totally oblivious to the totalitarian tiptoe. Then they get angry when the government decides to go to war or commit acts of war against public opinion!

Until XFactor/pop idol starts again..

[liuzzi]

Will be heaven for fakers, no need to fake bands and boxes any more, no more stamps, stickers, holograms, box codes. Can just put anything into these boxes.

[Puros Y Vino]

Couldn't agree more. I really hate the "Nanny State" proponents that insist they know best and dictate what you can or can't do. We all know the dangers of smoking and if we choose to go ahead regardless who is the government to tell us "No".

I can buy the increased cost to healthcare argument, but the logical answer is to reduce/eliminate any subsidies to smokers for smoking related diseases; and not to try and scare/disgust the **** out of everyone.

I don't buy the increased "cost to healthcare" argument. Not every one who smokes will develop any form of cancer just like how not everyone who gets behind the wheel of a car will end up a paraplegic or dead. If anything, the increased tax revenues from tobacco means that every person that smokes is in effect contributing more to the health care coffers. (At least here in Canada).

And those boxes are horrid. The counterfeiters are going to have a field day now that the packaging is so banal it can be easily replicated and mass produced. All counterfeit measures by Habanos will be nullified. Maybe they should move to SLB's with only the brand and names engraved and possibly some kind of crest or graphic. No bands, maybe a printed ribbon.

[srbbones]

Exhibit A in the textbook: How Democracies Decay Liberty

[LordAnubis]

I don't actually mind plain packaging in the true sense of the word. Plain green and plain text i don't mind, but the mandatory percentage that has to be covered with the warnign is what looks terrible.

Indeed, can cardboard boxes not be put over the original boxes? And yes what will happen to box codes and the habanos seal now? I do like the idea on here of having the outsides of boxes plain and the inside lid stamped with brand etc.

Lond story short Government as always has jsut gone over the top. I totally agree with not displaying tobacco products in public. However when you walk into a cigar shop you should be able to buy cigars. You know what you're in there for. There should be enforcement of not displaying the boxes etc in public, but nothing more. Australian government sucks balls. In the next elections i'm voting for Putin. He wouldn't put up with this rubbish. Putin for PM!

[CaptainQuintero]

Maybe we should all put our cigar money into paying for those expensive medical procedures that politicians need in order to do their mandate properly:

-spine replacement, transplants from pigs obviously

-abdominal skin bleaching to remove that embarrassing yellow tint

-basic history and common sense courses to show how a repressed and unrepresented people will one day hold you to account. Modules on the Russian, American and French Revolution.

-plant the seeds of morals and ethics by talks by real humanity leaders like doctors without borders, hospice volunteers, animal rescue workers etc etc

[SaintLuis]

Well, if you're going to make everyone elses health everyone else's problem, this is the kind of crap that happens.

Most of the Europeans with socialized care are too accustomed to their far left lifestyle, so they don't see the connection with over-reaching government, but when we stop being responsible for ourselves in a free society, and grant all responsibility to a nanny state, this is where you land.

Sad. While I don't smoke cigars for the artwork on the boxes and bands, I certainly do enjoy it, and it is a part of the experience.

Take care the power you grant the ruling classes. It's very difficult to take back, when stupid crap like this starts to take place.

[srbbones]

An even more insane example of the encroaching madness of the politically correct elite: Now they want to ban e-cigs. Now, I am not a cigarette smoker, and have NO interest in e-cigs. Still, the heavy handed attack this represents on adult responsibility and liberty - without any DATA - is breathtaking. It is the natural result of the madness, of which the lables discussed here are just the early phases, of the politicaly correct elites. I don't think I am overstating: We have seen the apex of our present civilization.

It should be UNTHINKABLE to force these stupid lables on adults. Yet we are doing it! I am a schmuck, and I should just give up and accept my role as a large 48 year old child in this new world run by these idiot elite "parents"

[fookite]

Well, if you're going to make everyone elses health everyone else's problem, this is the kind of crap that happens.

Most of the Europeans with socialized care are too accustomed to their far left lifestyle, so they don't see the connection with over-reaching government, but when we stop being responsible for ourselves in a free society, and grant all responsibility to a nanny state, this is where you land.

Sad. While I don't smoke cigars for the artwork on the boxes and bands, I certainly do enjoy it, and it is a part of the experience.

Take care the power you grant the ruling classes. It's very difficult to take back, when stupid crap like this starts to take place.

I'll take stupid cigar boxes over poor people dying in the gutter.

[srbbones]

I'll take stupid cigar boxes over poor people dying in the gutter.

That is not the choice. What you are saying is called PROPAGANDA

[SaintLuis]

I'll take stupid cigar boxes over poor people dying in the gutter.

At least we're not over dramaticizing it, eh?

Particularly given that here in the states, we've spent $20T over the last half century on the liberal "war on poverty" and we have exactly the same amount of people in poverty.

But please, don't let any reality effect the fantasy of nanny-state effectiveness! We wouldn't want anyone to think we could possibly, ever survive without someone putting paper over a cigar box to SAVE US!!!

[OkieJoe]

I'll take stupid cigar boxes over poor people dying in the gutter.

lol....OK

[Dbone]

This is bigger than just Cuban cigars, correct? Other regions must be just as concerned if not more. The box and label art used on most NC cigars are more extravagant than those of Cuban cigars.

[Jason55555]

Every time I see this disgusting attack on my freedom of choice I feel like John Spartan in Demolition Man LOL waking up to a hellish utopia where we have to blanket a whole cigar box.

What can Habanos S.A do, maybe put each box in a cardboard box like how the Cohiba Maduro lines come in and inside the nice black Cohiba box inside.

I think it is also what can we do, we need put a line in the sand with government when analyzing the difference between cigarettes and cigars.

"I'm the enemy because I like to think. I like to read. I'm into freedom of speech and freedom of choice. I'm the kind of guy that could sit in a greasy spoon and wonder, gee, should I have the T-bone steak or the jumbo rack of barbecue ribs or the side order of gravy fries? I want high cholesterol. I would eat bacon and butter and buckets of cheese. Okay? I want to smoke Cuban cigars the size of Cincinnati in the nonsmoking section. I want to run through the streets naked with green Jell-O all over my body reading Playboy magazine. Why? Because I might suddenly feel the need to. Okay, pal?" - Dennis Leary Demolition Man.

[Blakes]

------

The UK has reopened the debate, I say debate; were told what's going to happen! So it will come in soon too.

What I've noticed about the UK 'debate' is they seem to be focusing the arguments on younger people and first times smokers, ie to put them off starting in the first place. Since when does a first time smoker go and buy (at the very least) a £100 box of cigars to see if they like it? I think by the time you've decided to buy boxes a few pictures and warning labels isn't going to make a damn bit of difference.

3 and 5 packs they can do what ever they want, I don't think people care what's printed on them because usually they go straight in the humi and the packaging in the bin.

Like others have mentioned if it results in Habanos bringing back wooden cabs, no bands.. I'm all for it, I've always though they look more classy that way.

[BehikeLover2]

Wow that looks horrible.

Even IF you dont care, looks like the box is all paper now? Goodbye ageing...

So when we order from *****INT we get plain pagaged boxes?

[DrunkenMonkey]

I'll take stupid cigar boxes over poor people dying in the gutter.

So these ugly cigar boxes will prevent poor people from dying in the gutter how? I'm having trouble making the connection, could you explain it to me?

[fookite]

So these ugly cigar boxes will prevent poor people from dying in the gutter how? I'm having trouble making the connection, could you explain it to me?

Well, SaintLuis said this was a direct result of socialized medicine. The point of my comment is that I don't really mind the trade off.

Edit: if that is the trade off, which I am not agreeing to.

[CaptainQuintero]

Well, if you're going to make everyone elses health everyone else's problem, this is the kind of crap that happens.

Most of the Europeans with socialized care are too accustomed to their far left lifestyle, so they don't see the connection with over-reaching government, but when we stop being responsible for ourselves in a free society, and grant all responsibility to a nanny state, this is where you land.

Sad. .

With all due redirect you're way off the mark. Far left nations collapsed in 1992. If you're talking about free healthcare, it's considered a basic human right in most western nations to have access to healthcare from cradle to grave as a result of nation rebuilding after WW2

The UK people demanded to have something in return for their sacrifices in the war. Churchill instead wanted to fight to keep the empire, the opposition said it would spend that money instead on giving everyone universal healthcare from cradle to grave. Guess who got turfed on their ass in the elections?

The issue is lack of personal responsibility and governments deciding they know best.

Political correctness is a US culture issue that evolved from the US sue-happy culture of the early 90's. both have seeped into the culture over hear and politicians have taken the idea and ran with it.

If you want to blame someone then blame that poisonous culture, not nations wanting to look after their most downtrodden. Wasn't it Ben franklin who said to judge a nation on how it treats it's poorest?

[PapaDisco]

I would guess that concepts involving a removable "sleeve" of some sort will get shot down unless that sleeve is permanently attached. No problem though, since there's already a lot of hand-work in cigar boxes; tacking the sleeve on with tiny nails (brads) or taped edging would be easy and would still make the sleeve and all it's nasty artwork quickly removable. Maybe.

[srbbones]

With all due redirect you're way off the mark. Far left nations collapsed in 1992. If you're talking about free healthcare, it's considered a basic human right to have access to healthcare from cradle to grave as a result of nation rebuilding after WW2

The UK people demanded to have something in return for their sacrifices in the war. Churchill instead wanted to fight to keep the empire, the opposition said it would spend that money instead on giving everyone universal healthcare from cradle to grave. Guess who got turfed on their ass in the elections?

The issue is lack of personal responsibility and governments deciding they know best.

Political correctness is a US culture issue that evolved from the US sue-culture of the early 90's.

If you want to blame someone then blame that culture.

There is no such thing as "Free Health Care". In the UK, they pay about $9.00 for a gallon for gas, and a Behike 54 costs $60. Over half of that cost is TAXES that contribute to "Free Health Care"

[CaptainQuintero]

There is no such thing as "Free Health Care". In the UK, they pay about $9.00 for a gallon for gas, and a Behike 54 costs $60. Over half of that cost is TAXES that contribute to "Free Health Care"

It's tax payer funded. The nation had a choice between spending tax money on being the world police and having a culture obsessed with war, or one that spent the war chest on looking after it's own people.

Kill people or give healthcare. It's something people are incredibly proud of here

How youve managed to spin plain packaging debates into 'Europeans are dirty commies' is crazy, come on this is about governments wanting more power and tobacco is an easy target to get legislation passed that can be used next against food and alcohol or whatever they want banned.