FEATURE - Health Warnings On Cigarette Packaging

Features - Feature Articles

Friday, 24 September 2010 16:25

Written by Denise Lyons

Tobacco kills more than five million people every year in the EU but 30% of Europeans still smoke, many of them young women.

Cigarettes are the only legal consumer product that kills half of all long-term users when used exactly as intended by the manufacturer.

Effective health warnings, especially pictures on packets, have been shown to help smokers to quit and to prevent young people who are not yet addicted from starting in the first place.

Yet, in the European Union, only 6 out of the 27 EU countries have introduced warnings with pictures on tobacco packs.

Now the Commission wants to look at whether there should be pictorial health warnings on cigarette packs and/or tighter rules on the permitted levels of addictive substances in cigarettes, amongst other things.

EU Health Commissioner John Dalli said: "Tobacco is not a product like any other: it is addictive and it means illness and suffering for our citizens and avoidable healthcare spending for European governments. And, still, 30% of Europeans smoke. I am particularly concerned with the 35% of young Europeans who smoke."

MEPs and Public Health groups have asked the Commission to look again at EU rules in the area which date from 2001 and to come up with stronger measures.

So the Commission today launches a public consultation on the revision of the Tobacco Products Directive (2001/37/EC) which lays down the rules on such things as packaging and maximum tar levels.

The Commission hopes after it has consulted the public that updated, stronger rules can be put forward by early 2012.

The Commission invites all stakeholders to give their input on the different options and to comment on possible measures, including pictures on cigarette packs, to improve awareness of the dangers of tobacco use, increase motivation to quit and discourage initiation of smoking.

Examples of such measures that could be considered are bigger, double-sided health pictorial warnings on cigarette packages, plain packaging and the regulation of harmful, addictive and attractive substances in tobacco products.

This consultation is an important step towards the adoption of a legislative proposal planned for beginning of 2012.

You can make your voice heard in the consultation on the revision of the Tobacco Products Directive.