[Intl-tobacco] Europe: Cigarette packs to show dying patients

[robert weissman]

Cigarette packs to show dying patients
Sunday Times

October 17, 2004

Sarah-Kate Templeton




DISTURBING photographs for display on cigarette packets - including
premature babies on ventilators, diseased hearts and patients dying of
lung cancer - are to be published this week.

The European commission is to issue 42 graphic images, three to
illustrate each of the 14 health warnings that currently appear on
packaging such as "smoking when pregnant harms your baby", "smoking
clogs the arteries and causes heart attacks" and "smoking may reduce
blood flow and cause impotence".

The warnings, which are expected to include photos of miscarried
foetuses, rotting teeth and gangrenous legs have been tested on focus
groups in each member state by market research group Synovate.

The Irish Department of Health has already committed itself to using the
images on cigarette packets as soon as possible.

The images are understood to be far more explicit than those the British
government has been considering as part of its campaign to cut the
120,000 annual smoking-related deaths in the country.

Synovate researchers found that Britain had a preference for less
frightening images such as photographs of children inhaling second-hand
smoke. But EU member states are under no obligation to use the more
disturbing pictures. The health department in Ireland has said it plans
to use them but John Reid, the UK health minister, has said the
government will consult the public.

Siobhan McEvoy, of the Irish department of health, said: "A picture
paints a thousand words. People read warnings, but often the message
fails to hit home. People will see the lungs in the image and think, 'Oh
my God, that is what is happening to mine'.

"We have had verbal warnings for some time and they have had an effect,
but we suspect it is wearing off. This will challenge that."

In 2000 Canada became the first country to display graphic health
warnings on cigarette packets.

Although the tobacco industry disputes their effectiveness, which it
says has cost it millions of dollars to print, studies have shown that
using gory images has cut the use of tobacco in Canada by 3.4%.

Another study, by the Canadian Cancer Society, found 58% of smokers who
saw photographic warnings on packets thought twice about the health
costs of smoking.

Deborah Arnott, a director of Ash (Action on Smoking and Health), said:
"The evidence from Canada shows that pictorial images work well. Ash
supports strong images and a range of images. We need to keep reminding
people of just how dangerous smoking is."

Chris Ogden, the director of trade affairs for the Tobacco
Manufacturers' Association, said: "Use of pictorial warnings will be
optional in each member state. We hope the Department of Health will
have a full consultation before making any decisions.

"We believe the use of pictorial warnings is premature given that it is
not very long since the written warnings were introduced."