Cigarette Warning Labels and Advertising

Q1. How do you feel about these regulations?
I think such regulations mandating accurate and graphic warnings on cigarette packages are necessary and warranted. Smoking is a hazard for those suffering from the addiction, and also generates tremendous societal costs in terms of lost productivity at work and costs to the healthcare system. For far too many years, cigarette companies hid the risks of their products and were protected by the law. Even if their products had warning labels on them, cigarette companies were still able to advertise their products with sexy, carefree illustrations of people enjoying healthy activities. Companies even used cartoon characters to promote their products and attract children. Forcing companies to illustrate the true risks of their products is essential.
Q2. Will this type of packaging make a difference in the number of people who smoke? If not, can you think of other ways to encourage people to quit or prevent others from starting this habit?
I do think such warnings may discourage people from taking up cigarette smoking. There is evidence-based literature to support this, according to one study by Emery (et al., 2012): “Higher exposure to state-sponsored, Legacy, and pharmaceutical advertisements was associated with less smoking; higher exposure to tobacco industry advertisements was associated with more smoking” (p .751). However, for the already addicted, the physical aspects of nicotine cannot be ignored and cannot necessarily be deterred with effective advertising. There must be smoking cessation programs supported by all health insurance plans, and support for pharmaceuticals that can aid in withdrawal.
Q3. Do you think these kinds of labels should be used to deter people from purchasing unhealthy foods? For instance, should soda labels have pictures of rotting teeth?
Yes. There are many parallels between unhealthy foods such as McDonald’s fast food and tobacco companies, including the targeting of children at very young ages to inspire affection for an addictive product. Much like pro-tobacco advertising’s efficacy has a long legacy, so does unhealthy food’s legacy with children (Dalton, et al., 2017). Aggressive advertising and public health campaigns are need to counteract this for the good of individuals and society.
References
Dalton, M. A., Longacre, M. R., Drake, K. M., Cleveland, L. P., Harris, J. L., Hendricks, K., &
Titus, L. J. (2017). Child-targeted fast-food television advertising exposure is linked with fast-food intake among pre-school children. Public Health Nutrition, 20(9), 1548–1556. Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5758305/
Emery, S., Kim, Y., Choi, Y. K., Szczypka, G., Wakefield, M., & Chaloupka, F. J. (2012). The
effects of smoking-related television advertising on smoking and intentions to quit among adults in the United States: 1999-2007. American Journal of Public Health, 102(4), 751– 757. Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3489369/