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Dr Peter Mackereth said brightly-coloured cigarette packaging was a form of ''silent advertising'' for smoking
The government has announced an independent review of cigarette packaging in England, amid calls for action to discourage young smokers.
David Cameron appeared to distance himself from uniform packaging in July, saying further evidence was needed to show whether it would be effective.
But Public Health Minister Jane Ellison said it was now time to "examine the emerging evidence" on a policy shift.
But Labour said immediate action was needed, "not another review".
In a Commons statement, Ms Ellison said standardised tobacco packaging would be brought in after the review if "we are satisfied that there are sufficient grounds to proceed, including public health benefit".
The review, led by paediatrician Sir Cyril Chantler, is set to focus on a pilot scheme in Australia, which became the first country to legislate for standardised packaging in 2011.
It is not really surprising that the government is looking again at the issue of plain packaging for cigarettes.
Out of the two high profile public health measures it championed after the election - minimum alcohol pricing was the other - plain packaging always seemed the more natural fit.
Over the years tougher and tougher measures have been introduced to discourage smoking from bans in public places to forcing shops to sell tobacco products under the counter.
So what has changed? Australia still remains the only country in the world to have introduced unbranded packaging.
But early evidence suggests it was effective.
A study in the state of Victoria found that, not only did it make smokers more likely to think about quitting, it also worked subconsciously - smokers felt the cigarettes were of poorer quality.
For Labour, shadow public health minister Luciana Berger demanded to know why the government was delaying the introduction of plain packaging "still further" having already held a consultation on the issue in 2012.
Opposition leader Ed Miliband added: "The government should have introduced plain packaging earlier this year - we want them to act swiftly, we want them to act now. And they seem to be offering another review. We don't need another review.
"Every major public health expert agrees this would help the battle against cancer, against young people taking up smoking."
The government has never officially ruled out changes to cigarette packaging laws, but BBC political editor Nick Robinson said that private briefings from Downing Street had previously suggested the idea was "dead".
He said the move to reopen the issue follows the tabling of amendments in the House of Lords which would have given ministers the power, but not the obligation, to impose regulations on plain packaging and enjoyed cross-party support.
The government was likely to be defeated if it opposed the changes to the Children and Families Bill, he added.
Ms Ellison confirmed that the government would table its own amendment to the legislation, giving ministers the power to introduce regulations when Sir Cyril's review is complete in March 2014 - if they decide to proceed with the policy.
The options which would then be considered include packs having a uniform colour (dark olive green has been suggested previously) or using graphic images of smoking-related diseases on all packs.
'Rise in counterfeiting'Ms Ellison rejected Labour suggestions the rethink had been prompted by fears of defeat in the Lords, saying: "It's a year this weekend since the legislation was introduced in Australia. It's the right time to ask people to look at this.
"This is fundamentally about children's health. Two thirds of people start smoking when they're children and it's one of the most important public health issues we face in this country.
"Asking an independent body to take a look and survey the evidence for us is a sensible next step. We are going to take the opportunity to put regulations in place which will enable us to act quickly."
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"This is what cigarette packets have looked like in Australia since last year", reports Ross Hawkins
Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said the government had an "open mind" on the review, but "personally" he hoped it would show that plain packaging was effective.
"If the review... suggests that the emerging evidence argues in favour of plain packaging, it's a measure which we would then proceed with," he said, on his weekly LBC radio programme.
But the government faced criticism from the UK Independence Party.
Prime Minister David Cameron was "scandalously auctioning off the freedom and liberty of the British people for his own political ends, cheered on by the Labour Party", the party's deputy leader Paul Nuttall said.
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Branded cigarette packs help smokers avoid buying counterfeit products, suggests cigar-smoking Tory MP Robert Halfon
The Times newspaper says a study conducted in Australia found that smokers using standardised plain brown packets were 81% more likely to consider quitting.
In a 2011 debate in the Australian parliament, Labor Party MP Mike Symon explained that the proposed plain-packaging legislation would "mandate that the brand name is in a standard colour, position, font size and style and that the packaging will be a standard drab dark brown or olive colour".
"Consumers tend to perceive white and lighter colours as being healthier," he continued.
"Research shows that adults and adolescents in scientifically controlled studies perceive cigarettes in plain packs to be less appealing, less palatable, less satisfying and of lower quality compared to cigarettes in current packaging."
Labour has sought to link Conservative election chief Lynton Crosby's work as a consultant for the tobacco industry to delays in the policy, a claim which was rejected by David Cameron at the time the issue was put on hold in July.
Health campaigners say packaging is a "key tool" for the industry to get new customers but manufacturers say uniform packets will increase counterfeiting and the focus must be on reducing under-age smoking.
The ban on images on packaging came into force in Australia on 1 January after a long-running legal battle between the former Labor government and the tobacco industry.
Manufacturers claimed the law was unconstitutional and infringed on their intellectual property rights by banning the use of brands and trademarks.
But they said they would comply after the legality of the measure was upheld by the country's highest court.
Cancer Research UK said the move would "save thousands of lives": "Stopping cigarettes being marketed to children as a glamorous and desirable accessory is one of the greatest gifts we can give the next generation."
The Scottish government has said it is "still committed" to introducing standardised packaging, while New Zealand is also considering the move.
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