Graphic warnings fail
Critics contend that plain packaging has done little to reduce smoking rate in Australia.
Cigarette-pack graphic-warnings showing grossly disfigured feet and rotting teeth are no longer shocking enough to prompt Australians to quit the habit, according to a story by David Chen for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, citing new research.
The results of the research indicated that it was time to devise novel ways of reaching out to people to explain the risks associated with smoking.
A James Cook University team surveyed 900 people, including non-smokers, smokers, pharmacists and students in the Queensland-state cities of Townsville, Rockhampton and Brisbane, seeking their views on current cigarette warning labels.
Nearly 60 percent of those surveyed thought the warnings were ineffective in getting current smokers to quit, while 27 percent thought the labels were effective in preventing non-smokers from taking up the habit.
Survey author Aaron Drovandi said the findings suggested health authorities needed to come up with new ways to encourage smokers to quit the habit.
“What we currently have in Australia, which is the set of rotating warnings, I think we need to increase the rate at which we do that, developing new warnings and rotating them,” he was quoted as saying.
“Also trying to think of novel ways of reaching out to people explaining the risk of smoking in ways they haven’t come across, that might try to trigger more of a response than the current packaging warnings which have had their effectiveness reduced over time.”
“A lot of people indicated that they care more about the money than their own health.”
