… but then again

British American Tobacco’s Australian unit has disputed the findings of a cancer charity’s study that standardized cigarette packaging lowers the appeal of cigarettes and increases the desire to quit, according to a Bloomberg News story.

Australia’s introduction of standardized packaging legislation had had “no noticeable impact on legal tobacco sales in the first six months,” BAT Australia spokesman Scott McIntyre was quoted as saying in an emailed statement. “Smokers are still purchasing cigarettes just as they were before it was introduced.”

The study, funded by Cancer Council Victoria, surveyed 536 smokers during the rollout of the standardized pack legislation in November, when branded packs were still on sale.