By Mex Cooper
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott may not support plain-packaged cigarettes as the tobacco industry threatens to slash the cost of cigarettes if the Gillard government pushes ahead with the anti-smoking legislation.
Mr Abbott, who is yet to back the government's proposal, says he is happy to support any policy that has been proven to curb smoking rates.
"But my anxiety with this [plain packaging proposal] is that it may end up being counterproductive in practice," he told reporters today.
Health campaigners and Health Minister Nicola Roxon have branded the tobacco industry's threat to cut the cost of cigarettes if plain packaging is introduced as a stunt.
Ms Roxon said she expected the fight from the tobacco industry, but not from Mr Abbott.
"We thought [he] would side with protecting Australian lives, not with big tobacco," Ms Roxon told the DMG Radio Australia network in Adelaide.
Quit Victoria executive director Fiona Sharkie said the tobacco industry was terrified about losing its branding and could not be believed.
"This is clearly an industry in crisis and they're running scared abut the impact of plain packaging on their profits," she said.
British American Tobacco Australia chief executive David Crow has said tobacco companies stripped of marketing tools would be pushed to compete on price and could halve the cost of cigarettes.
Ms Sharkie said the price of cigarettes had the most influence on smoking rates and any move to cheapen smoking should be matched by an increase in taxes.
Mr Crow, in launching a national media campaign to fight plain packaging, said it would be a boon for organised crime, which had profited from a 150 per cent increase in illegal tobacco in Australia in the past three years.
"When all cigarette packs look the same and lose their trademarks and distinguishing features, counterfeiters will have a field day mass-producing packets to smuggle into Australia," Mr Crow said.
But Ms Sharkie said counterfeiters were already expert at producing branded packets and doubted it would have any impact on the blackmarket trade.
"The misleading claims the tobacco industry is making about the size of the illicit market in Australia are just ludicrous," she said.
"By their reckoning, one in seven cigarettes smoked in Australia today has come out of a plastic bag off the back of a truck. It's just ridiculous to even suggest that."
Australia will be the first country in the world to introduce plain packaging when cigarette packs become a mandatory olive brown on July 1 next year.
Mr Crow said there was no proof plain packaging would reduce smoking rates.
British American Tobacco has spent millions, possibly tens of millions, in marketing campaigns against the legislation.
Ms Sharkie said Quit Victoria's research had shown that non-branded cigarette packets would help turn teens off the deadly habit and the reason the tobacco industry was against the move was because it would hurt its profits.
"You'd have to question why they're screaming so loud if they think it won't work," she said.
Mr Crow has flagged a High Court challenge if plain packaging becomes law.
with AAP