The look of cigarettes and other tobacco products in the area will permanently change starting Friday. February 7th marks the government-mandated packaging change on packs of cigarettes.

Smokers in the Lakeland have probably already seen the new “plain packaging” smokes as the rollout was done over the course of the last year. New packs going forward are now limited to a brown colour, the brand name, length and a graphic health warning covering most of the slide or shell packaging.

Regular and King Size cigarettes are the only allowed sizes. Slimmer and longer variations are now banned.

The change comes as the federal government looks to lower the rate of tobacco use in the country by at least five percent by 2035. Imperial Tobacco Canada says it doesn’t agree with the new packaging, saying it doesn’t promote quitting smoking and, in fact, punishes smokers.