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