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STARK PICTURE WARNINGS ON TOBACCO PACKETS FROM 1 OCTOBER 2008
THE government
ups the ante in fight against region’s smoking habit which kills 260
people a week in the North West. From the 1 October the UK
will be the 1st country in the EU to introduce graphic picture
warnings on all tobacco products. The warnings illustrate the
devastating effects that tobacco can have on health and aim to curb
the smoking epidemic, which kills 13,516 people a year in the North
West.
The new warnings,
which include pictures of rotting teeth and lungs, throat cancer,
and a ‘flacid cigarette’, will replace the written warnings
currently featured on packs, which were introduced in January 2003.
Written warnings have been a huge success, according to new figures
released today by the Department of Health. Since their
introduction 5 years ago, more than 90,000 smokers have been
motivated by the warnings to call the NHS Smoking Helpline (0800 169
0 169).
However, despite much
progress over the past 10 years, which has resulted in 1.9 million
fewer smokers since 19983, smoking is still the biggest killer in
England and causes the premature death of over 87,000 people each
year in England alone.
The visual wake-up
calls are expected to be even more effective than written warnings.
Research suggests that warnings should be changed periodically to
maintain effectiveness, and smokers are more likely to remember the
damage they are doing to their health if they have seen a picture.
Chief Medical
Officer, Sir Liam Donaldson, said:- “I welcome the
introduction of picture warnings on tobacco product packaging, which
shows smokers the grim reality of the effects of smoking can have on
their health. This will help to maintain the momentum of the
increasing number of people who have given up smoking following
England going smoke free in 2007. Written health warnings have
encouraged many smokers to stop smoking. These new stark picture
warnings emphasise the harsh realities of continuing to smoke. I
hope they will make many more think hard about giving up and get the
help they need to stop smoking for good.”
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Dr Janet Atherton,
Chair of Smokefree North West added:- “There is significant
evidence from country’s that already have graphic warnings that
these measures do act as a motivation for smokers to quit. Just as
we saw with the introduction of the written warnings, the picture
packs will provide smokers with another reminder of the harm of
their addiction and encourage them to quit. Our region’s NHS Stop
Smoking Services are on hand to provide help and advice.”
Canada was the 1st
country to introduce graphic warnings, in 2001. One year later,
research demonstrated that they had significantly impacted the
country’s smokers; 31% of ex-smokers reported that picture warnings
had motivated them to quit, and 27% reported they had helped them to
stay smokefree. Graphic warnings are also now used on tobacco
products sold in Australia, Brazil, Canada, India, New Zealand,
Singapore, Venezuela, Thailand and Uruguay.
Last year, more than
59,000 smokers stopped smoking with local NHS Stop Smoking Services
in the North West.
Smokers wishing to
join them can find out more and order a free DVD explaining the
different types of NHS support available to help smokers who want to
quit, by calling 0800 169 0 169.
So what do you think about these new pictures? Do you feel it
will put people off Smoking? Do you think they will be
effective? Do you feel we are going to far now? Email our
newsroom via
news24@southportreporter.com or call us and leave your voice
message on Skype via
liverpool-reporter. |
