Since New Zealand is already following a strict approach to curb tobacco use in the nation, the new plan proposed to introduce plan packaging of cigarettes is thus not being accepted by the biggest cigarette manufacturer Steve Rush, a recent report unveils.

According to him, the government of the nation is merely mimicking the steps adopted by Australian government to eradicate the use of tobacco. He affirms that it should rather first look at the effects any new plan may have on the tobacco industry.

Besides, he says the industry is before now facing much shortfall in the sales since varied ways, including ban of smoking at office workplace and public places, have been introduced. Almost for 20 years, plans such as packs of less than 20 cigarettes in 1997 and graphic health warnings on packs in 2008 along with high excise imposition in 2010, have affected the industry a lot.

It is therefore only that the tobacco business has planned a campaign, the report finds, which is aimed at turning around the thought to launch plain packaged cigarettes. Warning that the same may boost illegal trade, he says, "Removing the rights of a legal business to use their own branding would have repercussions far wider than tobacco".