Cigarette pack graphics help quitting
Susquehanna University researchers say smokers are less interested in buying cigarette packs with warning labels featuring graphic images of cancer.
Scientists compared the effects of four different cigarette packaging on 404 adult smokers and found that the lowest demand was for packages containing warning photos, without any branding.
According to HealthDay, the smokers were 17 percent less likely to ask for the plain, unbranded packs with the graphic photo of mouth cancer compared to packages with the current US warning label.
"We found that the label with just the front text warning had little effect on consumers," said co-author Matthew Rousu, whose study will appear in the September issue of the journal Health Policy.
”However, demand was significantly lower for packs with grotesque images, with the lowest demand associated with the plain, unbranded pack," he added.
New cigarette warning labels, including graphic images of lung and mouth cancer, are scheduled to be introduced by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in September 2012.
"Results from our study suggest that the new health warnings with graphic pictures will reduce demand for cigarettes," Rousu noted.
Source: presstv.ir
