Tobacco Pack Warning Survey in the UK
In the UK the Department of Health has launched a Tobacco Pack Warning Survey with a website presenting the new graphic warnings that are being considered and asking the public to vote for the most effective.
Meanwhile in Tasmania tobacconists are selling more and more cigarette pack "skins", ie
special covers to hide the graphic warnings. In a joined article a
cessation specialist doubts fear will incite anybody to quit and
suggests the government rather helps people quit. Of course both
approaches are non exclusive, compatible and in fact complementary.
last but not least, graphic health warnings cost almost nothing to
implement for the government (except for the surveying budget in the
UK's case).
People can give their opinion on a range of images designed to highlight the dangers of smoking on a website set up by the Department of Health.
Evidence shows that images have a greater impact than written health warnings alone, and they have already been introduced in some countries.
Images include diseased lungs, a dying smoker and a foetus in the womb.
People visiting the website will be able to choose images to support 14 health messages such as 'Smoking causes fatal lung cancer' or Smoking may reduce blood flow and causes impotence'.
The final images will cover 40% of the back of packets sold from autumn 2007.
Launching the consultation, Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt, said: "We have already made a lot of progress with the stark written warnings on cigarette packs.
"However, these messages become less effective over time so we now need to refresh our approach by introducing new hard-hitting images.
"We know that these type of warnings have already been successful in other countries such as Canada, Singapore and Brazil.
The government promised it would introduce picture warnings on cigarette packs in its Choosing Health White Paper in 2004.
Graphic pictures
Jean King, Cancer Research UK's director of tobacco control, said: "The evidence from Canada, Brazil and elsewhere is clear - graphic picture warnings inform people of the risks of smoking and help encourage people to reduce their smoking or quit altogether.
"They also help minimise uptake by young people. This measure will help deglamorise cigarette packs and let people know what they really get from smoking."
Amanda Sandford, spokesperson for anti-smoking charity ASH welcomed the move but said the images should be displayed on the front, not the back, of the pack.
"The point of this is to deter people from buying them, especially young people, and they need to be visible at the point of sale.
"Evidence from countries where the pictures are already in place shows it has a strong impact on smokers - for every purchase smokers are reminded of the health consequences of smoking."
Dr Charmaine Griffiths spokesperson for the British Heart Foundation said: "We welcome this consultation as we know that graphic images can and do prompt people to take steps to quit smoking, as BHF's successful 'fatty cigarette' campaign clearly demonstrated."
Professor John Britton, Chair of the Royal College of Physicians Tobacco Advisory Group, also welcomed the announcement.
He said: "It is well recognised that strong images conveying the health impacts of smoking have a powerful effect on motivating smokers to quit. This simple initiative will save thousands of lives."
Simon Clark, director of the smokers' lobby group Forest, said he was strongly opposed to graphic warnings as smokers were well aware of the dangers of smoking.
"The proposed images are gratuitously offensive and yet another example of smokers being singled out for special attention.
"What about fatty foods, dairy products or alcohol? If they're going to target tobacco, there should be graphic warnings on other products too."
These are the images most people have selected so far:
Pack warnings are part of the Government’s comprehensive tobacco control strategy, which is in place to reduce the high levels of death and disease associated with smoking. Currently 26% of the UK adult population smoke, leading to 106,000 deaths every year from smoking related diseases. A target is in place to reduce smoking levels to 21% of adults by 2010.
The European Commission have developed 42 picture health warnings for countries in the European Union to use on tobacco packs. This web survey will help us to find out which of these will be most effective in the UK. We aim to choose 14 in total.
The web survey is part of a wider consultation, as we also have to consult key stakeholders on the finer details of the policy. If you are interested in finding out more follow the links to the right to read the full consultation paper.
If you have any further comments you can also e-mail them to us.
When can I see the results of the survey?
The survey and wider consultation will be running until 25th August 2006. After this date, you will be able to see the final results of the survey on this site.
When will the new pack warnings be introduced?
Once we have decided which warnings to use, it will take time for manufacturers to change their machinery and equipment and start printing the new packets. It will therefore take around a year before you will start seeing picture health warnings on packs. Full proposals on timescales are given in the consultation document.
Editor, GLOBALink News & Information
Contributing Editor, Tobacco Control
E-mail: shatensteins@sympatico.ca
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