Canada is proposing legislation that might help curb the abuse of nicotine and cigarettes in that country. The country’s proposal? It wants to require cigarette manufacturers to use plain packaging for their cigarettes. All cigarette packaging would include the same types of colors and fonts and limit the manufacturers’ logos. The country already uses warning labels on its cigarette packaging.

Australia was the first country to adopt such plain packaging, and proponents of the packaging say that these changes have lowered smoking rates in that country. France and the United Kingdom plan to adopt similar laws as well. Not surprisingly, tobacco companies aren’t fond of such legislation.

Would plain packaging work for other products? For example, many of us are familiar with certain logos for beer. Wine and liquor manufacturers take great pains to use eye-catching bottles and memorable labels. Would such products still attract us even if they came in plainer, less attractive containers?

Other products have their own issues with appearance. Recreational drugs such as LSD sometimes have cartoons printed on their tabs. You can buy spice (also known as K2 or synthetic marijuana) in brightly colored packages that also sometimes feature cartoons. Ecstasy tablets also sometimes feature smiley faces or other cute logos.

Do these types of packages attract buyers? Maybe. Do they downplay the dangerous natures of these drugs? Definitely. While we’re not sure if these packages encourage people to buy the drugs, they sure don’t discourage them.

There’s an expression that says we eat with our eyes. This means that the physical attractiveness of food can help determine whether we find it tasty or not. Could we say the same with alcohol and drugs? If those substances have less attractive packages, would we be less inclined to use them?

Canadians are hoping that plain packaging can discourage smoking and encourage healthier lifestyles. Perhaps such packaging for drugs and alcohol would discourage their use or abuse.