Graphic health warnings needed to deter smokers

Australia's leading health organisations have called on the Federal Government to adopt graphic picture-based health warnings on cigarette packets following the success of the health warnings in Canada.

Research released today in Canada shows that 90 per cent of smokers noticed the new warnings and 44 per cent said the graphic pictures increased their motivation to quit.

Most cigarette packets in Canada carry full colour photographs covering half of the front and back of the package. The pictures include a diseased mouth, a lung tumour, a brain after a stroke, a damaged heart, and a limp cigarette as part of an impotence warning. Inside the package, one of 16 additional rotated messages are required, nine of which contain tips on quitting.

The Cancer Council Australia (TCCA), the National Heart Foundation (NHF) and the Australian Medical Association (AMA) urged the Federal Government to examine the Canadian findings.

"The Canadian experience shows that these graphic warnings have the potential to reduce the number of people who smoke and discourage young people from taking up smoking," said Denise Sullivan, Chair of the Cancer Council's Tobacco Issues Committee.

"Anything that makes smoking less appealing has to be a good thing," she said.

The study by the Canadian Cancer Society found that for a significant proportion of smokers, the warnings increased the motivation to quit, increased the concern about the health effects of smoking, increased awareness of the health effects of smoking, and made the package look less attractive.

The study found that fully 90% of smokers had noticed the new warnings. Among those who noticed the warnings, specific results include:

- 43% of smokers are more concerned about the health effects of smoking because of the new warnings

- 44% of smokers said the new warnings increased their motivation to quit smoking, and of those who attempted to quit 38% said the warnings were a factor in motivating them in their quit attempt

- On one or more occasions, 21% of smokers have been tempted to have a cigarette but decided not to because of the new warnings

- When buying cigarettes at a store, 17% of smokers have on at least one occasion asked for a different package of cigarettes because they did not like the warning on the package first offered

- 83% of smokers have had people they know mention or discuss the new warnings in conversations

Maurice Swanson, Co-ordinator of the National Heart Foundation's Tobacco Control Programme said he was encouraged by the Canadian findings.

"These graphic health warnings have the power to discourage smokers and they have got the tobacco industry worried," he said.

"At least two cigarette companies in Canada have redesigned their retail displays so that the warnings are covered at the point of sale. Another tobacco company tried to introduce a cigarette tin so that smokers could transfer their cigarettes from the packet to the unmarked tin but this move has been blocked by the Canadian Cancer Society."

The Canadian regulations have already inspired action internationally. Brazil has required picture-based warnings to cover 100% of the front or back of the package effective January 31, 2002 and the European Community has adopted a directive giving its 15 member countries the option of using pictures.

"It is time for Australia to follow the tough Canadian approach. We have a history of leading the world in tobacco control and we should not fall behind on this issue," said Dr Trevor Mudge, Vice-President of the Australian Medical Association.

"In Australia, like Canada, most smokers are generally aware that smoking is bad for you. However, smokers are less aware of the magnitude of the risk and that is that smoking kills one in two long-term users," Dr Mudge said.

"Smokers are also less aware of the many specific health conditions caused by tobacco. A new health warning system like Canada's would leave them in doubt as to the damage cigarettes are doing to their health."

"The Canadian research shows a very positive response to the new health warnings among smokers, most of whom wish they didn't smoke with a large proportion planning to quit in the near future," said Todd Harper, Executive Director of Quit Victoria and member of the Cancer Council's Tobacco Issues Committee.

Recent research undertaken by the VicHealth Centre for Tobacco Control (VCTC) on the reactions of Australian smokers and non-smokers to prototypes of health warnings similar to those introduced in Canada, found a high level of support for the introduction of similar warnings in Australia.

In one study, over 50 % of smokers said these types of warnings would make them more likely to quit smoking.

Professor Ron Borland, behavioural scientist and Director of the VCTC, said current Australian pack designs evoke imagery that is inconsistent with cigarettes as dangerous addictive killers and current health warnings only have a minor impact on reducing this effect.

"Our research and the Canadian research demonstrates that increasing the size of health warnings and the use of strong graphic images that clearly demonstrate the harm caused by tobacco have the potential to increase the potency of health warnings and encourage smokers to quit," he said.

To illustrate their campaign, the Cancer Council, the AMA and the National Heart Foundation today ran a national press advertisement showing what a cigarette packet could look like under a new health warning system with the message "Words can't describe the harm tobacco does. That's why we need pictures".

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