ACS

The UK's 10 million smokers should brace themselves from 1st October, when the UK will be the first country in the EU to introduce graphic picture warnings on all tobacco products. The warnings illustrate the devastating effects that tobacco can have on health.

The new warnings, which include pictures of rotting teeth and lungs, throat cancer, and a 'flaccid cigarette', will replace the written warnings currently featured on packs, which were introduced in January 2003.

Written warnings have been a huge success, according to new figures released today by the Department of Health. Since their introduction five years ago, more than 90,000 smokers have been motivated by the warnings to call the NHS Smoking Helpline (0800 169 0 169).

However, despite much progress over the past ten years, which has resulted in 1.9 million fewer smokers since 19982, smoking is still the biggest killer in England and causes the premature death of over 87,000 people each year in England alone.

The visual wake-up calls are expected to be even more effective than written warnings. Research suggests that warnings should be changed periodically to maintain effectiveness, and smokers are more likely to remember the damage they are doing to their health if they have seen a picture.

Chief Medical Officer, Sir Liam Donaldson, said: "I welcome the introduction of picture warnings on tobacco product packaging, which show smokers the grim reality of the effects smoking can have on their health. This will help to maintain the momentum of the increasing number of people who have given up smoking following England going smoke free in 2007.”

Retailers have until 30 September 2009 to sell through cigarette packs with the existing health warning and until 30 September 2010 for all other tobacco products.

The pictorial health warnings will appear on the back of cigarette packs and cover 40% of the area. The rotational text health warnings on the front of the pack will remain the same.