Thanks again to Rob Cunningham (Canadian Cancer Society) for all the details about the new graphic warnings, on the pack (75% of the front and the back) as well as inside the pack.
Aspects of the new Canadian warning system include the following:
- A set of 16 new picture-based package health warnings, with an increase in warning size from 50 per cent to 75 per cent of the package, on the package front and back (an English warning will appear on one side, and a French warning on the other). At 75%, Canada will have the second largest warnings in the world, with Uruguay having the largest at 80% of the package front and back.
- The inclusion of testimonials as part of exterior warnings, e.g. featuring individuals who have had cancer or emphysema (this is new for Canada)
- The addition of a toll-free quit line number and a web address to the warning messages on the front and back of all packages.(the quit line number is new for Canada; while a web address currently exists less prominently in Canada at the bottom of interior messages)
- A set of eight messages appearing inside the package, with the messages including pictures and full colour. (Canada has required interior messages since 2001, and remains the only country to require interior messages. The interior messages appear either on an insert for flip top packages, or on the "slide" of slide and shell packages, a type of package common in Canada.)
News Release
2011-27
February 18, 2011
For immediate release
Fact Sheet: Stronger health warning messages on cigarette and little cigar packages
proposed new regulations to strengthen tobacco labelling requirements in Canada. These proposals include all 16 new and larger health warnings on cigarette and little cigar packages and contact information to help smokers who want to quit. The proposed new messages and labelling requirements will be published tomorrow in the Canada Gazette, Part I.
"The Government of Canada is moving forward on its commitment to introduce proposed new labelling requirements for cigarette and little cigar packages," said the Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health. "The proposed new health warnings are designed to better communicate health risks, provoke greater emotional response, and further motivate tobacco users to quit."
The proposed regulations contain new requirements for cigarette and little cigar packages sold in Canada. Key features of the proposed regulations were originally announced by Minister Aglukkaq on December 30th. They include:
- 16 new graphic health warning messages covering 75% of the front and back of cigarette and little cigar packaging;
- 8 new health information messages on the inside of the pack that are enhanced with colour and graphics;
- subject to provincial and territorial agreement, a new, pan-Canadian quitline number and web portal to inform tobacco users about the availability of smoking cessation services; and
- 4 easier-to-understand toxic emissions statements.
The new health warning messages highlight a new set of tobacco-related diseases and, for the first time, present compelling stories and "testimonials" from people who have been affected by tobacco use.
Health Canada is also proposing new regulations that would prohibit the use of the terms "light" and "mild" on cigarettes and other tobacco products sold in Canada. Research has shown that light and mild terms mislead some smokers into believing that these products are less harmful to their health.
Finally, the Department is proposing to remove numerical values from toxic emissions statements on all tobacco product packages, a move that would remove information that is generally not well understood by tobacco users.
Following publication in Canada Gazette, Part I, there will be a 75-day public comment period on the proposed regulations. Information on the consultations will be available on the Health Canada website.
In addition to the labelling changes, Health Canada is developing a social marketing campaign targeting smokers, including young adults. Multimedia, including social networks across the Web, will be used to reach teenagers and young adults.
The new health warning messages will build on the success of the Cracking Down on Tobacco Marketing Aimed At Youth Act, which protects youth from marketing practices that entice them to smoke. The messages and the marketing campaign, along with existing cessation and prevention initiatives, will result in a comprehensive and integrated approach to tobacco control.
Visit our Image Gallery to see the proposed health warning messages and other labelling features. Visit the consultation pages to provide feedback on the proposed regulations to the Tobacco Act.
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Media Enquiries:
Health Canada
(613) 957-2983
Jenny Van Alstyne
Office of the Honourable Leona Aglukkaq
Federal Minister of Health
(613) 957-0200
Public Enquiries:
(613) 957-2991
1-866 225-0709
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http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hc-ps/tobac-tabac/fact-fait/fs-if/stronger-bonifiees-eng.php
Health Canada, Fact Sheet
Stronger health warning messages on cigarette and little cigar packages
February 2011
The Government of Canada has proposed new regulations that will strengthen package labelling requirements for cigarettes and little cigars. The proposed Tobacco Products Labelling Regulations (Cigarettes and Little Cigars)build on the achievements of the current labelling regulations.
Research shows that the current messages, implemented in 2000, have reached their maximum potential. The new labelling requirements include several features designed to increase smokers' awareness of the health hazards associated with tobacco use and the health benefits of quitting. An associated marketing campaign will help extend the reach of the new messages, especially among young adults.
New, larger health warning messages
Canadian and international research has shown that larger warnings, with pictures, are more likely to be noticed, better communicate health risks, provoke greater emotional response, and further motivate tobacco users to quit. Increasing the size of health warnings to 75% of the front and back of packages from the current 50% will allow for larger text and images, as well as, with provincial and territorial agreement, a quitline number and web URL on every pack.
The 16 new warnings proposed by Health Canada:
- highlight a new set of tobacco-related diseases, such as bladder cancer and vision loss;
- feature warnings targeted to different literacy levels; and
- include a variety of styles and approaches to appeal to different age groups.
To keep them effective, Health Canada intends to rotate health warning messages every four years. Health warning messages for future rotations would be introduced prior to the next rotation.
To keep them effective, Health Canada intends to rotate health warning messages every four years. Health warning messages for future rotations would be introduced prior to the next rotation.
See the proposed new health warning messages
Testimonials
Health Canada's public opinion research studies indicate that one way to make health warnings effective is to present compelling stories and "testimonials" from people, such as the late anti-smoking activist Barb Tarbox, who have been affected by tobacco use. The health warnings that use testimonials were rated as very effective by smokers who participated in the studies.
Pan-Canadian quitline and smoking cessation web portal
International practice shows that combining a health warning message with contact information for cessation assistance on every pack is an effective way to make cessation information available to smokers when they make the decision to quit. Provisional on provincial and territorial agreement, the proposed new pan-Canadian toll-free quitline would seamlessly redirect callers to the quitline service of their respective province or territory. These services provide free, telephone-based cessation counselling in both official languages.
Likewise, the web portal URL would appear on every pack and would offer additional online support.
The pan-Canadian toll-free quitline number and website on cigarette and little cigar packaging would expand the reach of provincial and territorial cessation services and is expected to result in increased calls.
Improved health information messages and toxic emission statements
A health information message provides information on the health benefits of quitting, the quitting process and cessation tools. It is located inside the package on the back panel of the cigarette slide-and-shell pack, or on a leaflet in the flip-top pack. There is also a "teaser" located on the upper slide flap of the slide and shell package, to attract the smoker to read the health information message.
The proposed new health information messages are more action-oriented and dramatically enhanced with the use of new colour and graphics elements to increase visibility. They will appear on the same display surface as current ones.
The current toxic emission statement lists numerical quantities for six toxic substances found in tobacco smoke. The statement is displayed on the side of most packs. Research indicates that existing statements are not noticed and many people find them confusing. The proposed new statements would provide clear, concise and easy-to-understand information about the number of toxic substances found in tobacco smoke, in plain language that would be more accessible to all audiences.
See the proposed new health information messages and toxic emission statements.
Marketing
As part of a new, innovative approach, the health warning messages on the package would be complemented by a multimedia social marketing campaign, including the use of social media tools such as Facebook and Twitter, to reach and engage young adult smokers. The social media component would engage in a dialogue with smokers at a time when they are making critical health choices. The marketing campaign is currently under development.
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