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Dayton Business Journal...
FDA unveils graphic
tobacco health warnings
by Tucker Echols, DBJ Contributor
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
The Food and Drug AdministrationTuesday unveiled its latest weapon to
combat smoking, a series of nine health warnings that will appear on
every pack and advertisement for cigarettes in the United States.
The nine warnings — considered the most significant change in tobacco
regulations in 25 years — must be placed on all cigarette packs,
cartons and ads no later than September 2012. They are designed to
graphically depict the consequences of smoking. They include images of
smoke curling from the neck of a smoker with a tracheotomy, rotting
teeth, diseased lungs and a corpse of a smoker.
Each warning must cover 50 percent of the front and back of a pack of
cigarettes, and 20 percent of each advertisement. The warnings will be
accompanied by a smoking cessation phone number, 1-800-QUIT-NOW.
The FDA said the new warnings aim to prevent children from smoking and
encourage adults who do smoke to quit. “These labels are frank, honest
and powerful depictions of the health risks of smoking and they will
help,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , tobacco
use is the leading cause of premature and preventable death in the
United States and is responsible for 443,000 deaths each year.
Among the largest tobacco companies are Philip Morris, Reynolds
American Inc. , Altria Group Inc. , Lorillard Inc.and British American
Tobacco.
Click here to see all the new cigarette warning labels.
In Ohio, 20.1 percent of the adult population — or more than 1.76
million people — were cigarette smokers as of 2010. That’s higher than
the national median of 18.4 percent, according to the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention.
Click here for more about smokers in Ohio.
Read the story with all the links at Dayton Business Journal
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