[Mr Ramsbotham]

But Australian cigarette makers say the move will not alter smoking patterns, and one called it a desperate tactic.

I can't think of anyone who has ever been dissuaded from smoking through shock tactics. The fact is that the bad health effects of smoking are too-long term to impact the average person's behavior in the short-term. People are usually motivated to quit when or if they start to feel genuinely ill effects, or actually become sick; not sooner.

[PBRSTREETGANG]

What's next? Pictures on beer bottles that show you the face of the person you're liable to wind up with at closing time?

[CSM]

The cig case manufacturers are gearing up for a growth in demand.

Seriesly, I have a friend that bought a pack of "mini cigars" in EU and it had these huge stickers on it. Now the "smoking kills" sticker is on the inside of my cig case! It's a great conversation piece.

[gathersnomoss]

The Fin's have had these pics on their cigs for years. They are great for starting up a conversation at a party.

"Hey, I'll show you what my lung looks like if you show me (fill in the blank). Works every time.

[Feckless]

What's next, pictures of ugly women on beer cans?

[3catsanadog]

Wonder if their abortion clinics hang pictures of aborted fetuses on the walls of the waiting room?

[Texas Federalist]

My favorite, from a pack of cigarettes I bought in Brazil:

"Smoking causes sexual impotance." - with a picture of a man and woman in bed, the woman rolling over to sleep and the man looking at the camera shrugging his shoulders.

[NetValue]

Please file in the "wretched excess" file. Thank you.

[The Great RJ]

Why not ban cigarettes altogether??? Wait they are an important source of tax revenue that can be raised without the taxpayer taking it out on the government. After all we tax them for their own good. The hypocrisy of this makes me sicker than second hand smoke.

[Gabz]

Australian smokers will soon have to look at the picture of a cancer-ridden lung or a gangrenous foot missing toes each time they light up.

I wonder if the photos will be of the same pig lungs used in Delaware to tell kids they were human lungs?

[Imal]

Purveyors of alcoholic beverages have been known to airbrush skulls and other morbid imagery into ice cubes and other parts of ads for decades. The subliminal images boost liquor sales.

Death is not a deterrent.

[SheLion]

[OXENinFLA]

These undated handout photos show an example of the graphic images, L-front of packet, R-back of packet, which in the future will cover most of the outside of cigarette packages. The Australian government decided to allow the packaging Friday, agreeing that the warnings -- carrying grisly images of diseased body parts -- would cover just one-third of the front of a packet and 90 percent of the back and would begin within 18 months.(AFP/HO)

[MeekOneGOP]

[mrs. a]

Maybe this is dreadfully wrong of me, but my first thought on seeing the headline was, "Collect 'em all! Trade 'em with your friends!"

[tet68]

I like it!

On the back and front of each Koran we could have pictures of Danny Pearl, Berg etc.

Caution, Islam can be hazardous to your health.

[Oztrich Boy]

"Fear is for the Weak": That's my motto. Or "Live in the Now" (I haven't decided yet.)

[Bernard]

Along with all the other knick-knacks and stuff I found in my Dad's workbench when he died was a nifty little silver metal cigarette case. It was in two pieces, and the larger top slipped over the smaller bottom. Sounds like this law may encourage people to get back into the business of making things like that to cover the pictures.

And here I thought government could not actually help the economy - I have been proven wrong!