Confronting new tobacco health warnings
The Gillard Government’s campaign to drastically cut smoking rates reached another milestone today with the release of new graphic health warnings for tobacco products.
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The Hon Nicola Roxon MP
Minister for Health and Ageing
The Hon David Bradbury MP
Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer
17 September 2011
The Gillard Government’s campaign to drastically cut smoking rates reached another milestone today with the release of new graphic health warnings for tobacco products.
The images, released in a consultation paper today by Minister for Health and Ageing, Nicola Roxon and Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer, David Bradbury, are proposed to be featured on packets and packaging of tobacco products when world-first plain packaging legislation comes into force on 1 July 2012.
“The new graphic health warnings are a striking and confronting reminder of the death and disease that tobacco brings and are a proven, effective way of helping people to kick this deadly habit,” said Ms Roxon.
“Seeing the heartbreaking harm that can be caused to an unborn baby or the horrific effects of cancer is a shocking reminder that quitting smoking is one of the best things that someone can do to improve their health.
“15,000 Australians die from tobacco each year – that’s too many families mourning the death of a loved one and why the Government is acting to protect the health of Australians.
“When the Government’s plain packaging legislation comes into effect, the warning and graphic will cover 75 per cent of the front of the cigarette pack rather than the current 30 per cent.
“Plain packaging and graphic health warnings mean that the glamour has gone,” said Ms Roxon
Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer, David Bradbury, said that updating the graphic health warning standards would make sure that consumers were aware of the dangers of tobacco use.
“By updating these standards, we will ensure that the most effective graphic health warnings are used to inform consumers of the risks to their health that smoking and tobacco use pose.”
The renewal of images was recommended in a review of graphic health warnings to avoid their impact decreasing with familiarity. The images and supporting text deal with various diseases and conditions that have been proven to be caused or exacerbated by smoking, including bladder cancer, lung cancer, mouth cancer, peripheral vascular disease and emphysema.
Under the new plain packaging laws tobacco industry logos, brand imagery, colours and promotional text will be banned, with the packaging background in a standard drab dark brown colour chosen through research to have the least appeal to smokers.
A link to the consultation paper on the graphic health warnings will be available at www.productsafety.gov.au
Tobacco Graphic Health Warnings - Posters (PDF 8984 KB)
Media enquiries, please contact the Minister's Office on 02 6277 7220 or
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