EU seeking to scare people from smoking

The EU is searching for photographs that will be frightening enough to get people to stop smoking cigarettes.

The European Commission opened tenders today for photos to go along with mandatory heath warnings on all cigarette packs. The commission will buy the rights to the pictures.

Before they start appearing in October 2004, the pictures will be tested in each of the 15 EU nations to see how they are received, said Commission spokesman Thorsten Muench.

Those approved will go into an EU photo library from which national governments can select pictures to put on the warnings.

Muench said recent studies in Canada, where they photos have been used since 2002, showed that the graphic warnings were having a positive effect in keeping young people away from cigarettes.

“It’s not a measure that will stop the die-hard,” he said. “The main focus is to prevent people from starting.”

Muench said the pictures could include gory colour photos of diseased mouths and lungs to illustrate that “smoking causes fatal lung cancer” or “smoking can cause a slow and painful death” – two of the 14 warnings.

The graphic warnings will take up at least 40% of the back cover of the cigarette packages.

The new warnings could also include a web site address or telephone number where smokers can get information on how to quit.

EU Health Commissioner David Byrne said the new warnings would be part of a reinforced effort to cut the number of smokers.

“Research and experience in countries which have introduced health warnings illustrated with colour pictures have proven that they are one of the most effective ways to do this,” Byrne said.

A survey released by the Canadian Cancer Society last year said the graphic health warnings were noticed by 90% of smokers polled and 44% said the graphic photos increased their motivation to quit.