Each day in the United States:
- The tobacco industry spends $34 million marketing products
- Almost 4,000 adolescents start smoking
- 1,200 current and former smokers die prematurely
- The nation spends >$260 million in direct medical costs related to smoking
- The US alone spends >$270 million in lost productivity
(source: CDC’s Best Practices for Comprehensive Tobacco Control Programs)
Last November, the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) passed a new comprehensive tobacco control strategy described as "the most significant change to health warnings on cigarettes and in cigarette advertisements in more than 25 years".
The strategy, aimed to encourage more smokers to quit and prevent non-smokers from starting, would force tobacco companies to display warning labels, including images of cancer-ridden lungs, rotting teeth, and infants surrounded by secondhand smoke covering a significant portion of the packaging. source
"In a national study measuring people's response to graphic cigarette health warnings (involving 18,000 participants), researchers studied how effective the warnings communicated the health risks, as well as [their] ability to encourage smokers to quit and [whether] they discourage nonsmokers—particularly kids—from ever wanting to smoke."
"In addition to the large color images, every warning will include the number for the national network of smoking cessation quitlines, 1-800-QUIT-NOW, and educational text, such as "cigarettes cause cancer," "cigarettes are addictive," and "tobacco smoke can harm your children."
To read about the research findings supporting the new labels, click here.
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What do you think?
Do you think the packaging will make a difference?
What age group do you think will be most influenced by the new design?
It grosses me out but I don't smoke and would never smoke...I doubt stuff like this will really deter anyone who is addicted to smoking. I know too many people who've recently been diagnosed with cancer who STILL SMOKE!
ReplyDeleteI HATE smoking, so I think my perspective on it is different from the average population (maybe). I think those labels would make me want to smoke even less, but I am not sure if it will deter those who have been smoking for years and years. Hopefully, it will help young people who may be ignorant about the side effects decide not to do so.
ReplyDeleteThe idea of smoking absolutely repulses me! EW!!
ReplyDeleteAs for the general population, I think addiction runs deeper than what's addressed on the packaging. Therefore I don't reallllly think it'll have a huge effect, unfortunately! :(
Blair
This is already in effect in Canada, I believe.
ReplyDeleteAs a teen, I'm pretty familiar with how teens start smoking. I tried it myself a couple times but thankfully realized how stupid I was being and stopped.
Often at parties, there are ciggarettes and cigars being passed around. When a cute guy that you want to impress offers you a puff, it's hard to say no. Or if a group of guys is passing around a smoke, no guy wants to be the odd one out.
I don't know anybody that has started smoking when they're legally allowed to buy smokes, and by the time they are actually looking at the packaging, it's often too late.
It's a good idea, but I'm not sure how effective it is ...
I think the most effective change that has stopped almost all of my friends from smoking is this: I live in NYC. Cigarettes are $13 a pack in Manhattan. They just can't afford it.
ReplyDelete-Shanni
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