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Cigarette Warning Labels Across the World

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24 Comments

After researching for yesterday’s blog post on Southeast Asia, I found that cigarette warning labels around the world are very different than in the US and are often times very graphic. A bill passed the house recently and is awaiting senate review that would place tobacco regulation under the Federal Drug Administration. Warning labels on cigarette packaging will fall under their jurisdiction. Some options for package regulation include the decision to use text only or to apply a picture to warning labels.

Some argue that warning labels do not have an impact on people that choose to smoke. The Centers for Disease Control funded a study in 2007 called Young Adult Perceptions on Cigarette Warning Labels in the United States and Canada. “The study focused on determining their perceptions and the potential impact of Canadian labels on smoking, and study participants were asked for suggestions for modifications of U.S. cigarette warning labels so they would be effective for smoking deterrence and cessation.” Posting a graphic picture warning on a package would be more of a deterrent than text alone.

To find picture based warning labels, I went to my regular go-to organization for tobacco control information. Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids put together a collection on picture warning labels from all over the world. Ive included some below. Some were so disturbing I could barely look at them much less find the nerve to post them on this blog. I wouldn’t be caught dead buying cigarettes with these photos (pun intended).

Take a look at the following labels from around the world:

Egypt

Egypt

Australia

Australia

Canada

Canada

Chile

Chile "Warning! These cigarettes are killing you."

India

India

Portugal "Smoking causes deadly lung cancer"

Portugal "Smoking causes deadly lung cancer"

China "Smoking harms your family"

China "Smoking harms your family"

Thailand "Smoking causes death from emphysema"

Thailand "Smoking causes emphysema"

Would these warnings make you think twice about buying a pack? Would they have any impact on youth that are considering smoking? Would you have more of a tendency to ostracize your friends that purchased these products? What?s your take?

  • http://www.myspace.com/mikeisnowonfire Mike Foreman

    We need to have labels like these in the U.S.!!

  • Brooke

    I think this is the coolest thing in the world! I would never buy a pack with THAT on it! Plus I am a teen and I promise it would be effective on people my age.

  • A

    I used to work at a convenience store selling cigarettes, and I would say the packaging isn’t really that effective in deterring smokers. (If studies prove otherwise, I apologize – this is just from my experience.) People would come in and, although they would openly be disgusted with the labels, they would just request a different pack that had a warning they were less grossed out by. It definitely didn’t stop them from buying 2, 5, 10 packs. Would it deter new smokers, in particular youth? Maybe. But in Canada now, stores can’t even display cigarettes – period. I don’t know if it’ll be any more effective than putting scary photos on the box, but it can’t be any worse.

  • Stan

    Very cool!!
    Brooke,

    Great job. Anything that might stop even one more person from smoking is worth it!

  • Evan

    Just looking at the pictures and the thought of smoking is disgusting. A bigger disgust is that you don’t have warning labels in the US.

    Livestrong from Australia

  • anth

    Are you telling me you DON’T have these warning labels in the U.S?
    Australia has had them for ages…
    Pick up your game USA!

  • michael

    So will Texas now become a ‘foreign country’ given that your genius governor just threatened to succeed from the USA today?

    Seriously, the problems the world faces, and ignorance is one of the biggest.

  • ANTHONY MANZANO

    After seeing some of the photos listed above, it is logical that the United States pressure the manufactures to apply the same level of warning criteria across the world. It is a surprise to me that Australia has such labels for the amount of time described and here in the U.S. a Surgeon General Warning is the most protection the public receives in the way of precaution.
    I absolutely agree that severe, accurate images reflecting the potential risk of Cancer, be applied to the cartons and boxes sold in the United States.

    A ‘Go Public’ discussion will take place at the Fairfax Branch Library on April 23, 2009 at 6:00pm. RoseHillsReview@yahoo.com

    As an Elected Official, I will increase efforts upon Government to instill images on Cigarette sales.

    LiveStrong Army Commander (Rose Hills)-Los Angeles Ca.
    Rose Hills Review,
    Anthony Manzano

  • http://www.givetolive.ca Dan Auffrey

    We have both the graphic and text labels here in Canada on most cigarette products. I think the labels make a lasting impression on younger folks who may have thought about starting smoking. People whom have been smoking for years. Most are decensitized from that and will buy smokes no matter what you put on the label.

  • Pingback: Cigarette Warning Labels Across the World | Top 10 Reviews

  • Anne

    I think you should have these warning labels on cigarettes in the USA!

    Denmark has had them for years.

  • Katie and Jaime

    does anyone know when did cigarette boxes first come out with warning labels. We already have the year but we need the date (ex. June 4). If you do know the answer please answer as soon as possible we need the answer for a history assignment due this week!! Thanks

  • Katie and Jaime

    please answer as soon as POSSIBLE

  • Jason

    The warning labels are an absolute waste of money if the intent is to help with smoking cessation. As nicotine addicts, most smokers simply ignore the warnings, and if they do read them, it just stresses them out and causes them to want a cigarette.

    Much better would be to be to show smoking for what it really is, a drug addiction. Our society doesn’t tolerate other drug addictions, yet this one is perpetuated with glossy advertising and labeled a “habit”. If the government really wanted people to quit they would ban nicotine, as it is a poison. Instead, since they make so much off of taxing it, they continue to go about it half-cocked.

    This is from a 13 year smoker who quit this morning. Believe me, the scare campaigns do not make the slightest bit of difference to an addict.

  • http://blog.aadautech.com/ Nagaraj

    Almost one of every three cancer deaths in the United States ? 160,000 people a year ? is the result of tobacco use. Tobacco causes 87 percent of lung cancer deaths and has been strongly linked to cancers of the esophagus, bladder, pancreas, stomach, colon, cervix, liver, and kidney. If current patterns continue, 25 million Americans alive today, including 5 million children, will die prematurely from smoking related diseases. Updated in aadautech, a cancer drug discovery and therapeutics blog.

  • http://www.electroniccigarettereviews.org electronic cigarette reviews

    smokers just ignore the warning labels…so true about the fact that it do not have an impact on people that choose to smoke…i just wondering what is the difference of the warning label of the US to the other country..??

  • lyssa

    I think that people would think twice when buying ciggs if they saw these pictures

  • http://webproze.blogspot.com BigJohnson

    The US has had warning labels since the 70′s. But they were/are just text, no pictures.

    But let’s face reality folks, putting nasty pictures on a box of smokes doesn’t deter one smoker. Not one. Show me a study where people have quit smoking after looking at a picture of gangrene or mouth cancer and I’ll show you a bull____ study.

    People quit smoking when they WANT TO quit. A picture may push them in the direction, but it’s not going to stop them.

    And what happens when the boogyman of tobacco goes away after being made illegal? What will all the crazies go after when the amount of cancer hasn’t decreased one iota? Alcohol? Food products?

    How about just letting people make their own life decisions and living with them? Inform them as much as you can, but leave them alone to make their mistakes. The everyday coddling is what is making this world such bunch of idiot pansies.

    • http://livestrong.org Brooke McMillan (LAF Staff)

      Since 90% of smokers started on or before the age of 18, the pictures have shown to be a deterrent-preventing smoking in the first place.

  • Ian

    Its a great idea and i think its one that will make people think twice about the damage its doing to there body, its also a good way to put off people thinking about starting.

  • May Moore

    Just stop selling them! Make them illegal! I think real smokers don’t care what’s on the label!

  • tom

    I think that these adds are very powerful and should make the people who smoke think twice, however in the United States, we will be unable to advertise like this because Americans will do what they want when they want. The tobacco companies will never accept these adds and of course the American smokers will never accept it, oh, and do you really think that if cigarettes were illegal people would stop smoking?

  • Bobbi Roberts

    I think it is a great idea!

  • Carl

    Whilst the pictures and warnings are good, they are totally ignored by hardend smokers, anyone with half a brain knows that smoking is harmful and yet millions of people do it every day, warnings and graphic images or not, they are in denial, and assume it wont happen to them, I gave up smoking 5 years ago and it was the greatest gift I have ever given to myself