Tumor on a packet of shag
‘Smoking is deadly’. This warning has been prominently displayed on every pack of cigarettes and tobacco for years. The idea is to add confrontational photos, such as of black lungs or large tumors. Do people smoke less because of that?
In the Netherlands they are mandatory: the warning texts on tobacco packaging. Every pack of cigarettes threatens to alert you that smoking kills.
Warning
You will also find a second warning on the back of the packaging. That smoking during pregnancy is bad for your baby, for example. Some texts encourage you to quit: “Your doctor or pharmacist can help you quit smoking.”
Effective?
As a smoker, you cannot ignore the warnings. They cover at least 30 percent of the front and 40 percent of the back of the package. But does that make you hesitate longer before lighting up a cigarette? Does it motivate you to quit smoking? The answer to the latter question turns out to be ‘no’. After the introduction of the texts in 2002, tobacco sales in the Netherlands remained virtually unchanged. Smokers who struggled with the threats bought covers to cover them.
So people do have trouble with warnings. Most smokers seem to quit during major campaigns in combination with increases in excise duties. This is evident from domestic and foreign studies. Smokers who have been walking around with the idea of giving up cigarettes for a while feel particularly appealing. Texts that actively encourage people to quit smoking seem to be the most effective. The tobacco companies know that too. A check in Belgium shows that these warnings appear to be less on tobacco packaging.
Wake up smokers
Something new is needed to wake up smokers and make them think about their addiction. Shocking photos for example. Studies show again and again that images have a greater impact than text. Just think of articles in the newspaper: your attention is often first drawn to the pieces with a photo.gruesome color photos
In Canada they also have that experience. Tobacco manufacturers there have been obliged for years to put confrontational images on the smoking products. These are horrific color photos of blackened lungs, dying people or large tumors.
There are also more subtle variants. Like a photo of a man and a woman in bed, each looking in different directions with their arms folded. The warning text also states that smoking reduces circulation and can cause impotence.
Aware of health risks
This approach works, according to Canadian research. People react more emotionally to the sight of diseased organs or the concerned look of a child than to a text. They are therefore more aware of the health risks. Since the depiction of the scary pictures, the number of daily smokers has dropped 20 to 40 percent. In addition, 19 percent of those surveyed say they have started smoking less. An additional advantage is that the packs are not inviting for ‘not-yet-smokers.’
