On the Label, Label, Label
Cigarette package labels are one of the better ways to educate smokers about the hazards of smoking, yet in the U.S. you get more ingredient information on the label of a candy bar than a pack of cigarettes.
The International Tobacco Control Four Country Survey examined the impact of cigarette labels in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia on their effectiveness in imparting information about smoking.
The survey showed:
- Smokers in all four countries had “significant gaps” in what they knew about the health effect of tobacco smoke.
- Two-thirds of survey respondents said cigarette package labels were a source of health information.
- People had greater knowledge of health risks posed by tobacco when packages provided more comprehensive information, as do labels in Canada.
- Research shows that graphic labels can increase smoking cessation.
- Larger graphics with greater detail communicate more effectively.
Gross Works
In Canada and Australia, the most recent cigarette labels dominate the package and carry images of diseased lungs, rotting toes, diseased gums and other ills caused by smoking. New Zealand will follow suit in 2008.
A survey in Canada found that one fifth of the respondents reported smoking less because of the labels. So, tobacco lobby, why hasn’t this caught on in the U.S.?
What’s Not on the Candy Bar Label
Food and Drug Administration regulations state that candy bars are A-OK as long as they contain less than 30 insect fragments for each two ounces of candy bar. Isn’t it amazing what one learns working in an advertising agency?
