- the Norwegian Minister of Health and Care Services, Bent Høie, told journalists when announcing that the Government will initiate a consultation on a proposal to introduce plain packaging legislation. 

The consultation is expected to commence at the end of February 2015.

The goal of taking this measure is to prevent tobacco use among children and young people. The measure is in line with Article 11 of the WHO FCTC, and the recommendations of the implementation guidelines for this Article.

Norway had always been a strong supporter of the implementation of the WHO FCTC, with bold measures taken in the country and assisting in implementation of the WHO FCTC globally. It has introduced a display ban of tobacco products at the point of sale (in spite of legal challenge by the tobacco industry) and amended, in 2013, its tobacco control act to strengthen its impact.

Still, smoking remains one of the most significant public health challenges in Norway. Every year, about 6600 people die from diseases caused by smoking.

Picture from and more information at: https://www.regjeringen.no/en/aktuelt/foreslar-standardiserte-tobakkspakninger/id2395028/