Tobacco warnings are winners

The European Commission is being asked to introduce the same types of graphic health warnings used on cigarette packages in Canada and Brazil. Cancer Research UK and 6 other research groups say the ads make smoking “less stylish.” A survey of Canadian smokers indicates the warnings work; 43% of respondents said the warnings raised their concern about the health effects of smoking and 44% said they are now more motivated to quit (CMAJ 2002;166[1]:1453). The European Parliament recently voted to increase the size of warnings to between 30% and 40% of cigarette package surfaces and banned the use of terms such as “mild” and “light.” — CMAJ

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