Europe launches shock tobacco ads



The European Commission has launched a series of hard-hitting images to be used to show the damage smoking can do to people's health.
The graphic images are part of a 72m euro campaign against smoking.

The 42 images show pictures including rotten lungs and a man with a large tumour on his throat.

Individual countries can decide whether or not to include the images on cigarette packs. The UK Department of Health has said it will consult over introducing them.

The European Commission is also calling on member states to implement long-term measures, such as effective regulators, to tackle smoking levels.

Its experts estimate the annual cost of tobacco related disease in the EU at 100 billion euros a year.

The Commission says picture warnings are set to be introduced in a number of countries next year, including Ireland and Belgium.

'Focus groups'

Launching the campaign, David Byrne, EU Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection, said: "People need to be shocked out of their complacency about tobacco. I make no apology for some of the pictures we are using.


"The true face of smoking is disease, death and horror - not the glamour and sophistication the pushers in the tobacco industry try to portray.

"The EU must hammer home this message to young people via its media campaign and to smokers via their cigarette packs.

The large black and white health written warnings which are currently seen on cigarette packs across Europe were introduced by the EU's Tobacco Products Directive.

That legislation directed the Commission to help EU countries to introduce picture warnings.

The database of images has been created by a communications agency and tested on focus groups across the 25 EU Member States.


The EU says it has also studied trends in Canada, which introduced picture warnings several years ago. Experts there suggest they can help reduce smoking.
Consultation

A spokeswoman for the Department of Health told BBC News Online: "We have already announced that we are planning on consulting on the use of images on cigarette packets.

"Once the EU Commission has approved the images, we will start the consultation process to establish whether these should appear on cigarette packets in this country and, if so, which would be most appropriate."


The anti-smoking charity ASH called for pictorial health warnings to be mandatory on all tobacco products.
Deborah Arnott, director of ASH, said: "Whilst the UK government has made considerable progress in tobacco control in recent years it must increase spending to bring smoking rates down further and protect the public from the harmful effects of tobacco smoke."

Simon Clark, director of the smokers' rights group Forest, said: "Smokers are well aware of the health risks of smoking. There's no need to rub their noses in it.

"All that is needed is a simple written warning advising people about the possible health risks of smoking. Anything else is gratuitously offensive and yet another example of smokers being singled out for special attention."

He added: "What about fatty foods, dairy products or alcohol? If they're going to target tobacco, there should be written and graphic health warnings on other products as well."

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/health/3944793.stm

Oh please enough with the excuses! Smoking causes horrific diseases and slow painful deaths! These people who smoke should be grateful that the goverment are trying to educate them and protect their health and lives! Not only that but the people who breathe in their second hand smoke!

Oh stop already, smokers are aware we're slowly killing ourselves...the overkill on advertising is ridiculous, we smokers are attacked daily on tv, radio, newspaper. I'm a very courteous smoker, if someone's around me, ill step away to smoke, i won't blow my smoke into your face...so concern yourself with yourself and not with my smoking. It's getting so horrible here in California...they've banned smoking on beaches and public parks...OPEN OUTDOORS i cant even have a cigarette anymore. I can't smoke in the bars or restaraunts, i can't smoke inside, outside, NO WHERE. its getting stupid.

Maybe you should quit smoking then?

That's the thing. Smoking is such a powerful addiction, that even when it's restricted EVERYWHERE, it's still not a good enough reason to quit.

no, no, you are misunderstanding my point...i am quitting in 2 weeks...i've committed to myself that by 21 (which happens on nov 11.) i will quit, i told myself that 6 yrs ago when i started smoking. But if gay people aren't to be discriminated against, and religious people shouldnt be discriminated against (choices of the people who join them), then why is there a huge discrimination against smokers?

Because gays and religious people aren't harmful for your health. Smokers are.

I quit about 5 months ago after 5 years of smoking, promised myself i'd quit by the time i was 20 but heeell no, that wasn't happening.

Good luck though.

alcohol is hurtful to the health...dont see people banning that everywhere..

No one is banning Alcohol. No one is banning smoking.

Alcohol is restricted to certain areas, as is smoking.

Alcohol is only harmful to the person drinking it, smoking is harmful to the person smoking it AND everyone else around the smoker. 2nd hand smoke is just as harmful as 1st hand.

I can't believe I'm actually replying to this. *sigh*

SO, you can't see the difference? Do you honestly think that if we discriminate against smokers, who not only damage their health, but the health of everyone around them; and gays who merely have a sexual preference?

And why is it that everyone with that avatar is a total bigot?!