March 31, 2009

A survey of more than 26,500 citizens from 27 EU Member States and Norway was conducted in December 2008 to evaluate opinions towards tobacco use and various policies implemented by EU members, including health warnings on tobacco packages.

The results indicate that three out of 10 (31%) EU citizens think that health warnings on tobacco packs are effective in informing them about the hazards and effects of smoking. Warnings are perceived as similarly effective in preventing respondents from smoking (in the view of never-smokers and former smokers -30%) and somewhat less effective in persuading people to smoke less or to quit (in the opinion of smokers – 22% and 19%, respectively).

Among current smokers, 29% reported that the  warnings were effective in informing them about the health hazards and effects of smoking (29%), and approximately one firth  reported the warnings had persuaded them to smoke less (22%) or to try to quit smoking (19%)…

Full Document: EU Survey on Tobacco

March 30, 2009

New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court has sought a response from the Centre on the allegations of an NGO that the government under pressure from the “tobacco lobby” was dragging its feet on issuing statutory pictorial warning on cigarette and tobacco products.

“Why are you not implementing it? Millions are being affected, families are getting destroyed,” a bench of Justices B N Aggrawal and G S Singhvi told the Government in a terse observation while issuing notice on the application moved by the NGO, Health For Millions…

Full Article: The Hindu News (March 29, 2009)

March 13, 2009

Dubai: Starting September, tobacco products in the UAE will carry a message and a warning that will be hard to ignore.

Graphics of blackened lungs and a haemorrhage-impacted brain, among others, will provide stark warnings about the dangers on cigarette packs sold in the country, following in the footsteps of the UK, Canada and Brazil…

Full Article: Gulfnews.com (March 3, 2009)

March 13, 2009

Calls to QuitSA’s Quitline have doubled since the introduction of the warnings, with almost 165,000 calls recorded.

The graphic health warnings, many featuring diseased organs, are mandated under Australia’s Trade Practices Act, with 90 per cent of cigarette packs now carrying health warnings…

Full Article: Adelaide Now… (March 3, 2009)