Gruesome Photos on British Cigarette Packs..

October 1, 2008 - Starting today- October 1, 2008 - smokers in Britain (United Kingdom, UK) will be confronted with graphic pictures on cigarette packets, showing how tobacco damages health. The pictures, which show cancerous lungs and throats as well as rotting teeth, replace written warnings such as "smokers die younger" which currently greet smokers as they light up. The warnings will start today and will be compulsory on all tobacco products from October 2010.

The pictures are similar to those used on packets in other countries which have been credited with encouraging smokers to quit. Images are designed to shock people and emphasize the harsh health realities of continuing to smoke.

Around 10 million Britons smoke out of a total population of more than 60 million. A number of measures in recent years have aimed to cut the number of smokers. Written warnings on packs were adopted in 2003, and last year, the minimum age for buying tobacco was raised from 16 to 18. Smoking in enclosed public places was banned across the country from July 2007.

Recently, Health Canada it has been found cigarette packages would have a greater effect on smokers if the images covered most of the pack.

David Byrne, the European Union’s former commissioner for health and consumer protection has said, “People need to be shocked out of their complacency about tobacco. I make no apology for some of the pictures we are using.”

Related news brief: Britain to put picture warnings on ALL tobacco products...

Reference: Cigarette packs to carry graphic picture warnings, Breitbart.com, 10/1/2008 and British cigarette packs to show graphic warnings, Reuters, 9/27/2008.

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