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TRC Supports the Ministry of Public Health on Big Pictorial Warnings on Cigarette Packages So More Smokers Quit Smoking TRC supports the Ministry of Public Healths plan to expand to 85% the pictorial warnings on cigarette packs. New pictorial warnings will be circulated on cigarette packs to prevent initial smoking by adolescents, decrease smokers motivation to buy cigarettes, and to raise concern for the dangers of cigarettes with more smokers so they decide to quit smoking.

Dr. Siriwan Pitayarangsarit, Director of Tobacco Control Research and Knowledge Management Center (TRC), a research center funded by Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth), said that she supports the Ministry of Public Health to release the Notification of the Ministry to increase pictorial warnings from 55% to 85% on cigarette packs. Studies in several countries indicate that expanding pictorial warnings on cigarette packs reduces attraction to cigarette packs and also has reduced the number of smokers. Dr. Melanie Wakefield and survey teams from Australia, Canada and the US conducted a survey of the attitudes of 1,203 teenage and adult smokers in Australia regarding the size of pictorial warnings on cigarette packs. The survey results indicate that bigger pictorial warnings reduce the attraction of cigarette packages and brands. Moreover, it also influenced smokers regarding smokings dangers, reduced intention to purchase cigarettes, and fostered intentions to quit smoking.

WHO advises changing health pictorial warnings every 12 36 months because using the same pictorial warnings breeds inattention through familiarity and prevents the opportunity of presenting diverse warning messages. For this reason, circulating new health pictorial warnings can stimulate smokers concerns about health impacts caused by cigarette smoking, said Dr. Siriwan.

Mr. Thananun Wansirorat, Medical Center of Bangkok Hospital, revealed that the results of a TRC funded survey project of pictorial warnings on cigarette packs heightened health concerns among vocational students studying in Bangkok in 2010. This TRC / ThaiHealth supported project surveyed 480 students with 95% stating that they had looked at pictorial warnings on cigarette packs, and 85.8% were able to recall the pictorial warning of Smoking is a cause of lung cancer. Most of those aware of the warnings saw advantage in using pictorial warnings and recognized the disadvantages of smoking. After seeing pictorial warnings on cigarette packs, those most likely not to have or to want to try cigarettes were the never smokers, followed by those who had quit smoking. Suggested actions based on this survey are to (1) continue using pictorial warnings and use specific horrific pictorial warnings for engaging adolescents with clear content explaining those pictorial warnings, and (2) run complementary media campaigns with those same pictorial warnings aimed at preventing adolescents from starting smoking.

Dr. Siriwan Pitayarangsarit, TRC Director, said that to expand the size of the pictorial warnings and circulating and changing messages frequently of those pictorial warnings on cigarette packages will help smokers realize the dangers of cigarettes, reduce motivation to buy cigarettes, and help move smokers to quit smoking. For this reason, the Notification of the Ministry of Public Health should be released urgently.