The New Look of Tobacco Products
The Liberal Democrats are trying to reintroduce an improvement to the health bill, calling for the government to cutting cigarette pack designs.
For example in Australia, the government’s Preventative Health Task Force has counseled it to remove advancements of tobacco products through design of packaging as part of a complete strategy to reduce tobacco deaths.
Meantime, a recent research from the University of Nottingham showed the tobacco branding and packaging deceptive signals to young people and adult smokers.
Participants in the Nottingham study were shown pairs of cigarette packs and asked to compare them on five measures: taste, tar delivery, health risk, attractiveness, and either relief of quitting or which they would choose if trying smoking.
At the end of the investigation was found that adults and children were significantly more likely to regards packs with the terms ‘light’, ’smooth’, ’silver’ and ‘gold’ as lower tar, lower health risk and either easier to quit or their choice of pack if trying smoking.
But more than half of adults and youth reported that brands labeled as ’smooth’ were less harmful than the ‘regular’ variety. The color of packs was also associated with perceptions of risk and brand appeal.
The research discovered that those smoking products which bear the word ’smooth’ or have a light colored branding can trick people into thinking that the products are less injurious to their health.
Deborah Arnott, chief executive of Ash, an anti-smoking group, said: “This research shows that the only sure way of putting an end to this misleading marketing is to require all tobacco products to be sold in plain packaging.”
Researchers think that the change of cigarette packaging design would remove false beliefs about different brands and announce the message that all cigarettes are dangerous.
“This matter has been discussed by parliament and there is now a perfect chance to involve a requirement for plain packaging of tobacco products to be included in the health bill,” added Ms. Arnott.
According to previous studies, since 2002 it has been illegal for manufacturers to use trademarks, text or any sign to suggest that one tobacco product is less harmful than another. But investigators said that Tobacco Companies have now protected to using color and affable words to accomplish the same goal.
A principal characteristic of tobacco trade strategy has been to promote the sensation that some cigarettes are less hazardous than others, so that smokers worried about their health are supported to switch brands rather than quit, reported investigators.
As it is known these tactics are giving consumers a false sensation of reinsurance that simply does not exist.
