Cigarette packets are set to carry more detailed labels to warn consumers that smoking causes health problems and tobacco companies purposefully make them addictive.
Pursuant to a 2006 court order that required tougher labeling rules for cigarettes, companies must begin shipping packages to retailers with the new labels, known as “corrective statements,” by Wednesday.
Up to now, packaging has included only a warning from the surgeon general about the health risks of smoking, but the new labels will be more extensive. The industry has several options to choose from, including warning people that it’s not easy to quit, that secondhand smoke is dangerous, or that “light” cigarettes aren’t less dangerous for their health.
Other options warn consumers that smoking kills more people than murder, drugs, AIDS, suicide, car accidents, and alcohol combined, and that the tobacco companies intentionally use enough nicotine to “create and sustain addiction.”
In 2006, a federal court found tobacco companies guilty of racketeering and said they had lied to consumers about the health risks of smoking. The latest label roll-out comes as part of the court order.
Another part of the order that went into effect last year obligated tobacco companies to post similar warnings on their websites and to run ads in newspapers and on TV.
The U.S. has made significant progress on reducing smoking rates. Still, it remains the No. 1 cause of preventable illness.
Smoking in the U.S. has hit a record low of 14 percent, but it remains much higher among certain groups of people, including those with disabilities or lower educational attainment, federal data show.
The Trump administration has proposed banning menthol cigarettes and has urged e-cigarette companies to submit their products to the Food and Drug Administration to evaluate whether it might be a less-harmful alternative to smoking and possibly help people quit.
