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A warning label on every cigarette? Canadians may be smoking these in the near future

Posted at 10:51 AM, Oct 31, 2018
and last updated 2018-10-31 18:02:58-04

Health warnings labeled on cigarettes? It may become a reality across the border. 

Health Canada, the Canadian health department, conducting a study on printing warnings on individual cigarette papers. The government released a 32-page document with its findings.

Currently, there are warning labels on packs of cigarettes in Canada as in the U.S., but there are no warning labels on individual cigarettes. According to the document, recent research shows that warnings placed on each cigarette may be an effective way of making the product less appealing to users. 

Dr. Andrew Hyland, the chair of the health behavior department at Roswell Park, said graphics like this do work.

"The science tell us that that the closer you can bring the messaging to the actual behavior the more impactful it will be," he said.

Canada became the first country in the world to have graphic warnings on tobacco packages in 2000. Unlike U.S. warnings, the Canadian labels depict images of diseases commonly associated with smoking.

However, for Lackawanna resident Brianna Collins, she said she doesn't think these messages will be very impactful.

"Ive been smoking cigarettes since I was 9 years old, I see. The surgeon general warning on the side of the box," she said. "I think its bogus I don’t think they should put it on each and every cigarette like its already on the cigarette pack."

 

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