SYDNEY Australian doctors threw their support behind a government proposal to plaster cigarette packets with photographs of damaged organs as an extra incentive to get tobacco addicts to quit, DPA reported on Saturday.

Packets of cigarettes sold to Australia's 3.6 million smokers are already obliged to have prominent health warnings. The photograph requirement would follow an example set by Canada.

Australian Medical Association President Kerryn Phelps said anything should be tried to encourage smokers to quit.

"Nothing can be too graphic. If you look at a patient with lung cancer, if you look at a patient with heart disease, that's graphic," Phelps said.

Antismoking campaigner Todd Harper said eight out of 10 smokers wanted to give up the habit.

"Anything we can do to help them is an important and valuable approach," he said.

"It's not going to be a magic bullet but will have an important impact as part of a comprehensive approach."