I do not see this as a viable solution to ending the harm caused by cigarette smoking. Nicotine is addictive at nearly any level. Smokers will just smoke more cigarettes to get the nicotine fix that they so desire. If anything, this suggestion will sell more cigarettes--not less. Take for example the picture I snapped at the duty-free shop recently: https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Lhw-_-Y8hTU/Trrpnd1mwiI/A...
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=mexican+cigarette+warning&...
Raise the taxes some more to offset the costs. That and banning smoking in public places has gone a long way. Raise the age to buy to 21 if you like too. Prohibition doesn't seem work.
I don't smoke. Never have. I'm hesitant, however, to advocate the banning of cigarettes for the simple fact that I can't think of many recreational substances that the world has benefitted from banning. The article itself only glances at a ban, instead discussing curing techniques and limiting tobacco. This seems a little more sensible; after all, we have limits as to how much alcohol can be in beer. It would also be a lot more practical in the short term as regulating cigarettes isn't likely to kill as many jobs as banishing cigarettes would.