Four former Australians of the Year have signed a joint letter to federal MPs, urging them to support legislation to mandate plain packaging for cigarettes.
They are among 260 professors, from medical and health faculties throughout Australia, who say plain packaging of cigarettes would help reduce the appeal of smoking, particularly to children and young people.
Professors Sir Gus Nossal, Ian Frazer, Fiona Stanley and Fiona Wood have put their names to the letter, which was coordinated by the Cancer Council, the National Heart Foundation and the Public Health Association of Australia.
Professor Mike Daube from the Public Health Association says the scientists are backing plain packaging because of the compelling evidence and the potential for improved public health.
"So with 20 years of evidence, including the tobacco industry's own market research, showing how effective tobacco packaging can be for influencing young people, it is no wonder so many leading health experts back plain packaging," Prof Daube said in a statement.
The Gillard government wants to force all cigarettes to be sold in drab olive-brown packs from mid-2012 in order to reduce the product's allure and make mandatory health warnings clearer.
Parliament is due to debate Labor's plain packaging draft laws on Wednesday.
The opposition last week said it would support the main enabling legislation, but not an associated bill that aims to ensure the change won't affect big tobacco's ability to protect their trademarks for use other than on cigarette packs.
But Health Minister Nicola Roxon believes the government has enough support to get both bills through parliament regardless of how the opposition votes.
The professors' letter was emailed to all MPs and senators on Tuesday.
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