Health warnings on tobacco product packages are effective in highlighting the perception of health risk, a U.S. health report said.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report said the health warnings also: supported the intention to quit tobacco use, discouraged the intention to begin tobacco use and increased cessation rates.
However, larger warnings, with pictures, are more likely to be noticed, better communicate health risks, provoke greater emotional response and further motivate tobacco users to quit, the report said.
The report assesses the current status of tobacco packaging health warning requirements worldwide. Governments could further discourage tobacco use by requiring prominent health warnings on tobacco packaging, the report concluded.
In early 2007, the World Health Organization’s Tobacco Free Initiative collected information about legally mandated use of tobacco health warnings through a questionnaire distributed to all 193 WHO member states and one territory.
Data reported from 176 member states found 44 percent did not require any warnings on cigarette packs, and 40 percent required warnings covering less than 30 percent of the principal display area.
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Tobacco is an annual or bi-annual growing 1-3 meters tall with large sticky leaves that contain nicotine. Native to the Americas, tobacco has a long history of use as a shamanic inebriant and stimulant. It is extremely popular and well-known for its addictive potential.
Nicotiana rustica leaves.
Nicotiana rustica leaves have a nicotine content as high as 9%, whereas Nicotiana tabacum (common tobacco) leaves contain about 1 to 3%
A cigar is a tightly rolled bundle of dried and fermented tobacco which is ignited so that its smoke may be drawn into the mouth. Cigar tobacco is grown in significant quantities in Brazil, Cameroon, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Honduras, Indonesia, Mexico, Nicaragua, Sumatra, Philippines, and the Eastern United States.
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the fresh leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as an organic pesticide, and in the form of nicotine tartrate it is used in some medicines. In consumption it may be in the form of cigarettes smoking, snuffing, chewing, dipping tobacco, or snus.
