Smoking not sexy says Liverpool MEP (Garston and Halewood Liberal Democrats)

Garston and Halewood Liberal Democrats <info@garstonld.org.uk>

Smoking not sexy says Liverpool MEP

August 29, 2007 12:00 AM

Chris Davies MEP (North West Region) Graphic pictures on cigarette packs intended to highlight the dangers of smoking are aimed at ending the 'sexy image of smoking', says the North West Euro-MP who introduced the legislation.

The Government will announce today (Wednesday 29 August) that images highlighting the dangers of smoking will be printed on all tobacco products sold in the UK by the end of 2009.

Liberal Democrat MEP Chris Davies tabled the amendment to the EU's 2001 Sale of Tobacco Directive that allows governments to introduce the picture warnings on cigarette packs. He won cross-party support in the European Parliament for amendments he tabled to the legislation, eventually persuading EU ministers and the European Commission to accept the idea.

The Commission had issued 42 photographs and designs, three to accompany each of the 14 written warnings that currently appear on cigarette packs. After a public consultation 15 images have been chosen for use in Britain.

Mr Davies says his aim has been to curb the peer pressure which leads to young people taking their first smoke, often before they are 16 years old.

Mr Davies said: "Manufacturers have always tried to present smoking as something that is adult, cool and sexy. Once hooked the addictive properties of nicotine make it hard to give up. The aim of these pictures is to ensure that there is no chance at all of cigarettes ever again appearing glamorous."

"Adults should be free to smoke in private, but Government health policy should aim to make sure that people are well informed about possible dangers from all drugs, and tobacco is the biggest killer of all."

Last May, Belgium became the first EU country to introduce the compulsory requirement that the images be used to supplement health warnings on cigarette packs.

The idea came from Canada, where since 2000 cigarette packets have carried pictures to highlight the health risks of smoking. Research shows that the illustrations significantly increase the impact of written messages, with 44% of Canadian smokers claiming that they have increased their motivation to stop smoking.