Strong words for smokers?

Press, 26 July 1977, Page 5

Strong words for smokers?

PA Hamilton Cigarette packets are likely to carry a stronger health warning next year. The Government smoking and health committee chairman (Mr G. W. Holland) said that tighter restrictions on cigarette advertising and stronger warnings were likely. An agreement with cigarette companies on the warnings and advertising restrictions will expire next year. The committee would probably press for legislation governing the promotion and the warnings on cigarettes, he said. At present, New Zealand cigarettes carry the warning, “Smoking may damage your health.” Mr Holland would like to see a stronger warning on packets and in any cigarette advertisements. “It will be difficult to get cigarette companies to agree to any more restrictions, so Legislation will have to be introduced,” he said. “Most other countries have much stronger warnings than us.”

Mr Holland said that the warning should say that smoking was a serious health risk, and should list the specific, diseases it caused. The United States Federal Trade Commission has recently recommended that cigarette packets should flatly state that smoking may kill. The present American : warning says: "The SurgeonGeneral has determined that . cigarette smoking is dangerous to your health.” I The Trade Commission recommended to Congress • the warning be replaced i with “Warning: Cigarette smoking is a major health 1 hazard, and may result , in your death.” Or: “Warning: Cigarette smoking is dangerous to i health, and may cause death i from cancer, coronary heart - disease, chronic bronchitis, pulmonary emphysema, and other diseases.” The American commission wanted the tar and nicotine content of cigarettes to appear on all packages and in all advertising, as well as a warning on small cigar packets.