Cigarette Warning Labels Pack More Punch with Graphic Images
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iStock/Thinkstock(PULLMAN, Wash.) — Powerful anti-smoking public service announcements on TV that depict sick or dying people are believed to have had a powerful effect on many viewers, convincing some, in fact, to give up the habit.
However, the written warning labels on packs of cigarettes, while certainly stark, might not deliver the same punch as the TV spots since the visual consequences of smoking’s side effects are missing.
As a result, Washington State professor of psychology Renee Magnan surveyed young people ages 18-25 who were both smokers and non-smokers as well as students and non-students. They were asked their opinions about simple cigarette warning labels and those that were enhanced with graphic images.
By and large, the respondents felt that the text-image combinations helped them to better understand the long-term effect of cigarettes by presenting them with more knowledge about various consequences such as cancer, heart disease, stroke and even impotence.
They also admitted that these enhanced labels made them worry more about what might happen if they smoke and, as a result, acted as better deterrents than just a written warning.
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