The proposal for licensing tobacco retailers has found strong support, including the idea of having plain cigarette packs bearing only health warnings, comes after researchers canvassed public health physicians, Ministry of Health policy officials, other departments and journalists.

The outcome five proposals have been floated e. g.:

" Creating a Smokefree Commission with licensing of retailers, banning cigarette sales near schools, taking over cigarette wholesaling, and ending attractively glossy branding of tobacco and cigarette packets, instead having plain cigarette packs that display health warnings only.

" A weaker form of the commission, with licensing, however, retaining existing links between suppliers and retailers.

" Reducing tobacco import quotas, which would force the price of cigarettes up.

" Changes to the law would make suing of tobacco firms easier and more successful.

" Putting the onus on the tobacco industry to reduce smoking and imposing stiff penalties for failure to meet targets.

Surveys show a fifth of all adults smoke, with the highest prevalence among the 18 to 34 age group.

Since the late 1990s, there has been a decrease in the rate of smokers turning into non-smokers.