Public Citizen report on warning labels

[Robert Weissman <rob@essential.org>]

Public Citizen today released a report comparing cigarette warning labels
throughout the world. An executive summary of the report follows. You can
look at the full text of the report on the Public Citizen web page
<www.citizen.org/hrg/what'snew/tobacco/tobacco.htm>. Please direct any
questions concerning the report to Peter Lurie, an author of the report,
at <plurie@citizen.org>. 

Robert Weissman
Essential Information			|   Internet:	rob@essential.org


SMOKESCREEN

Double Standards of U.S. Tobacco Companies in International Cigarette 
Labeling

Macksood Aftab
Deborah Kolben
Peter Lurie, MD, MPH
Sidney M. Wolfe, MD

PUBLIC CITIZEN'S HEALTH RESEARCH GROUP
1600 20th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20009
Phone: (202) 588-1000
Website: http://www.citizen.org/
September 9, 1998



Executive Summary

Background

ú While U.S. cigarette consumption declined 4.5% between 1990 and 1995, 
cigarette consumption rose 5.6% in Europe and 8.0% in the Asia/Pacific 
region.
ú The U.S. now sells more cigarettes abroad than domestically.
ú The World Health Organization estimates that by 2020, 10 million people a 
year will die from tobacco-related illnesses, including 7 million in 
developing countries.
ú Previous research indicates that warning labels on cigarette packs can be 
an important part of a multifaceted approach to reducing smoking rates.


Methods

ú We conducted a cross-sectional study of cigarette labeling laws by posting 
a request for information on cigarette labels on GLOBALink, an Internet 
listserve with members in 56 countries.
ú Countries received a point for each of 10 specific warnings mentioned on 
their cigarettes packs, yielding a quality score on a scale of 0-10.


Results

ú In general, U.S. companies did no more in foreign countries than required 
by local law.
ú The average developing country quality score was 1.6, compared to 5.0 in 
developed countries.  Forty-two percent of countries either had no warning 
requirement or had only a very general health warning.  The current U.S. 
label received a 6.
ú The most common warning was for heart disease (49% of countries) and the 
least common was for addiction (14%).  All warnings were more common in 
developed than developing countries.
ú Twenty-six percent of developing countries compared to 89% of developed 
countries required rotating warning labels, as does the U.S.  now.
ú Seventy-three percent of developing country labels appeared on the side of 
the pack, while 78% of labels in developed countries appeared on both the 
front and back.  Current U.S. warning labels appear on the side of the pack, 
but under the proposed legislation they would appear on the front of the 
pack.
ú Forty-eight percent of developing countries required tar or nicotine 
levels on the pack, compared to 83% of developed countries.  There are no 
such requirements in current U.S. labels.


Conclusions

ú U.S. tobacco companies' labeling practices represent a double standard in 
which non-Americans are denied the information made available to U.S. 
residents.
ú Such inadequate labeling may contribute to rising developing country 
smoking rates, with accompanying illness and death.


Recommendations

ú Require U.S. companies to adhere to the same labeling and marketing 
restrictions in foreign countries as in the U.S.
ú Prevent the U.S. government from promoting the sale of U.S. tobacco 
products abroad.
ú Adequately fund the anti-tobacco activities of non-profit organizations 
and governments around the world.
ú Reject the Multilateral Agreement on Investment, which includes no 
protection for public health.