Smokers get new warning

Press, 1 June 1981, Page 9

Smokers get new warning

PA Wellington The Government has attempted to bring home more clearly to smokers the danger of the habit by changing the wording of the health warning on cigarette packets.

The words, “Smoking can endanger health,” will be changed to “Smoking may endanger your, health.”

“Your” had been added because the Health Department felt that the message should be directed at individ ual smokers, said the Minis ter of Health (Mr Gair). A departmental spokesman could not explain whj “can” will be changed tt "may,” but he commenter that there had been no grea debate in the department on

the relative strengths of the three-letters words. The words, “Government warning,” will be changed to "Health Department warning” because it is thought that the warning should come from the department. The changes are contained in a new agreement covering advertising and cigarette promotion signed by the Minister and cigarette manufacturers.

Mr Gair said that the new warning would appear on most cigarette packets by Julv 31.

The new agreement essentially contained the spirit and provisions of the former [ agreement which had been in I force for just over two years, • he said. ;■