Health warnings about the danger of smoking tobacco

Health warnings about thedanger of smoking tobacco have been existent for four hundred years. It all started with Fang Yizhi in China and King James I in England, both in the 17th century.

In 1960’s cigarette packs for the first time carried health warnings following the reports about smoking in the USA and UK. Those first warning were not so strong, that is why there had to be done more about that issue. Canadian warnings are the most contemporaneous and represent the most vivid in the entire world. They are a good example for other countries, like Brazil.

Even though there are some health warnings on the packs in some countries, they are not unequivocal or universal. Sometimes they are not even necessary. There are warnings which are not in the local language and not at all tobacco products.

A few reports were conducted in Canada and Australia. They suggest that plain packaging could increase believability and prominence of health warnings. In a plain packaging is no logo, no use of color or graphic design. There is only a cigarette pack with the brand name on it.

Health authorities recommend that on the cigarette packages should not be put the nicotine and tar levels, because they mislead the consumers. It is a difference between the smoking machines and people. Everyone has their own habit of smoking and the tendency for smokers to compensate to get more nicotine.

Other health authorities suggest that there should be better presented the situation how they really smoking. And this information to be included on the pack of cigarettes in a different section, for example: toxic constituents. This section would also include carbon monoxide exposure and the levels of carcinogens.