Graphic health warnings on the cards for SA

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WHO is encouraging governments to adopt tobacco health warning messages which should cover more than half of the front and back of the pack with health warnings containing pictures of diseases and the consequences of tobacco use.

A Health24 poll, in conjunction with Nicorette, recently found that only 25% of participants believed that graphic health warnings on cigarette packs would be effective in convincing smokers to kick the habit and 75% believed it would have no effect at all with smokers becoming apathetic to health warnings on packs [at the time of writing as the poll is currently running live].

“Yes, South Africa's health warnings have grown stale, as they have been unchanged for twelve years. We need a new set of warnings. Research from Canada and other countries has shown that picture-based health warnings are highly effective in both informing smokers of the dangers of tobacco use and in motivating them to quit,” says Dr Yussuf Saloojee, executive director of the National Council Against Smoking [NCAS].

Saloojee adds that May is also Tobacco Control Awareness Month in South Africa - an opportunity to highlight the important role played by government in curbing smoking.

The new tobacco control acts provides more stringent provisions, including: a ban on smoking in cars when children under 12 years are passengers. The penalty for restaurants, pubs, bars and workplaces that allow smoking outside of specially designated smoking areas has been increased from R200 to a maximum of R50,000. An individual caught smoking in a public place could face a fine of R500.

Two provisions that should be popular are the ban on smoking at the entrances to public buildings, and the regulation that cigarette “stompies” must self extinguish, to reduce the likelihood of fires.

“The new acts, among other measures, are a step in the right direction in government's efforts to reduce the tobacco epidemic”, said Dr Saloojee.

Vanessa Sew Chung Hong, brand manager of Nicorette, said that Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) was well-documented as “an effective way of gradually reducing a person's dependence on nicotine.” Nicorette provides therapeutic nicotine, less than a cigarette but enough to manage cravings, until over time smokers have weaned themselves off their need for cigarettes. NRT gums and patches have been included as a first line treatment in the 16th revision of the WHO Essential Drug List published last month.

“Quitting smoking is a journey,” says Sew Chung Hong, “It all starts with willpower. Using NRT in conjunction with willpower will double your chance of quitting successfully.” Psychological support also plays a very important role. Nicorette has also developed a support programme called KickButt to assist smokers.