Oct 27, 2010
Photographs showing the effect of smoking are to be featured on cigarette packets in Jersey. Deputy Ann Pryke has drawn up regulations which would see photographs of the impact of smoking on individual cigarette and tobacco packets. She says the aim of the regulations are to reinforce current written warnings and to discourage young people from starting smoking. The pictorial health warnings match those currently used across the EU. The regulations – which amend the 1973 Restriction on Smoking act – follow a public consultation, which helped identify 14 pictures which will be stuck on tobacco packets. These include a throat tumour, rotten teeth and an image of a child exhaling smoke.
Andrew Heaven from the Public Health team told BBC Jersey the written warnings on packets aren’t enough. Mr Heaven said: “We think that these pictorial warnings will reinforce the written warnings that current exist on tobacco packaging. “That, with all the other initiatives we have got around tobacco control will further reduce the prevalence of smoking.”
The graphic images on cigarette packaging is one part of the island’s tobacco control strategy. The strategy will include a range of measures which aim to reduce harm caused by smoking in Jersey. It includes plans to reduce the number of children and young people starting smoking, protecting families and communities from tobacco related harm and motivating and helping smokers to quit. If approved, pictorial warnings could be on tobacco products by 2011.
Source: BBC Jersey (October 25, 2010)