29 August 2007
Commenting on today’s announcement that picture warnings are to be on cigarette packets from 1 October 2008, Maureen Moore OBE, Chief Executive of ASH Scotland said:
'I am delighted that the Government has decided to introduce picture warnings on tobacco packs in the UK as research has demonstrated that warning messages with pictures and text are far more effective than text only labels. Cigarettes are such a dangerous product that special measures are necessary to point out directly to smokers the health hazards of tobacco. However, I would still urge the government to introduce details of the NHS Smokeline on all packets so that smokers know that there is support for them if they want to quit, and know how to access it.'Smoking remains Scotland’s number one preventable killer and the picture warnings show exactly what happens to thousands of smokers every year. In Scotland, 13,500 deaths every year are due to smoking and thousands of others are affected by tobacco related diseases. We have to also look behind the statistics at the human cost. The toll on thousands of families devastated by illness and bereavement is immeasurable.
'Picture warnings will help to raise awareness about the terrible damage smoking can do to your health and international evidence shows that they have the potential to discourage young people from smoking, and for a significant number of smokers it increases their motivation to quit. With 70% of smokers saying they want to quit, we must do everything we can to encourage and support them. Pictorial warnings also make the health warnings around smoking accessible to those who may have a learning disability or literacy problems.
'If we can help smokers to quit and stop others ever starting and becoming addicted to this harmful substance, then we can improve the health of the people of Scotland, increase the life expectancy of our nation, and reduce the burden of smoking related disease on the NHS.'
A number of countries have already introduced picture warnings on tobacco products, including Canada (2000), Brazil (2002), Singapore (2004), Thailand (2005), Venezuela (2005), Australia (2006), Uruguay (2006) and Belgium (2007). Legislation on picture based warnings has also been announced and is pending in Jordan, Malaysia, Switzerland, Romania, India and Vietnam.
ENDS
For further information please contact Jeanette Campbell 0131 220 9466
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