Background - Graphic Health Warnings

PDF printable version of Graphic Health Warnings on Tobacco Product Packaging (PDF 506 KB)

Tobacco smoking is one of the leading preventable causes of death and disability in Australia. It is responsible for approximately 80% of all drug-related deaths and is estimated to cost the Australian community approximately $21 billion in social costs each year.

From 1 March 2006, a new system of health warnings came into full effect requiring all Australian-manufactured and imported tobacco product packaging to be printed with new graphic health warning labels.

The new graphic health warnings provide a strong and confronting message to smokers about the harmful health consequences of tobacco products and convey the ‘quit’ message every time a person reaches for a cigarette.

In combination with the warning messages and explanatory messages, the new images are intended to increase consumer knowledge of health effects relating to smoking, to encourage cessation and to discourage uptake or relapse.

There is a tobacco-related death about every 28 minutes in Australia.

Cigarettes, loose and pipe tobacco

The key features of the health warnings system for most cigarette packaging and loose tobacco (roll-your-own) and pipe tobacco packaging are as follows:
  • Fourteen health warnings comprising graphic images, warning messages, explanatory messages and information messages.
  • A new rotation system to optimise consumer learning and awareness of the health effects of smoking. Two sets of seven health warnings (Set A and Set B) are alternated every 12 months.
  • Health warnings now cover 30% of the front and 90% of the back of cigarette packs, with graphics appearing on both the front and back of packs.
  • Health warnings now cover 30% of the front and 50% of the back of loose tobacco and pipe tobacco pouches, with graphics appearing on both the front and back of packs.
  • The national Quitline number and Quitnow website address are now on the back of packs providing a contact for smokers for assistance with quitting.
  • An information message is required to cover one full side of cigarette packs and 25% of one side of cigarette cartons.
  • The information message is also required on the inside flap of loose or pipe tobacco pouches.
  • Adhesive labels are not permitted for flip-top, soft pack cigarettes and cartons, but are permitted for pipe and tobacco pouches, and other types of tobacco packages.
Smoking is known to cause harm to nearly every organ and system of your body. It even affects organs that have no direct contact with the smoke itself. Smoking is a major cause of heart disease, cancer, stroke, impotence, hearing loss, impaired vision, loss of bone density, delayed wound healing... the list goes on. Many Australians remain unaware of the extent of its impact.

One non-smoker dies due to secondhand smoke exposure for every eight smokers dying of a smoking-related disease.

Cigars

The key features of the new health warnings displayed on most cigar packaging are as follows:
  • Five cigar-specific health warnings comprising graphic images, warning messages and explanatory messages.
  • Health warnings now occupy 25% of the front and 33% of the back of most cigar packages.
  • Adhesive labels displaying the cigar warnings are permitted for all cigar products.
  • An information message is not required on cigar packaging.
Cigar health warning messages:
  1. Cigars are not a safe alternative to cigarettes
  2. Cigar smoking causes mouth and throat cancer
  3. Cigar smoking causes lung cancer
  4. Don’t let children breathe your smoke
  5. Cigar smoke is toxic
Smoking causes 89% of lung cancer deaths in men and 70% in women. People who smoke are about 20 times more likely to develop lung cancer than non-smokers.

Smoking low-tar cigarettes does not reduce your risk of developing lung cancer.

Smokers are four times more likely to have a stroke compared with non-smokers. This risk is particularly elevated in younger people.

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Tobacco Control in Australia

The new system of graphic health warnings is an important part of a comprehensive National Tobacco Strategy that aims to further reduce smoking prevalence in Australia.

Successive Australian Governments and state and territory governments have introduced various tobacco control measures that have contributed to a progressive decline in smoking prevalence. These include bans on most forms of tobacco advertising in print and electronic media, creating smoke-free work environments, introducing health warnings on tobacco products, strong tobacco education campaigns, legislation addressing environmental tobacco smoke, regulations for point-of-sale advertising and revised methods of taxing cigarettes.

Australia continues to make inroads into smoking prevalence and is an international leader in tobacco control.

The most recent national figures on smoking prevalence from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare show that daily smoking rates for smokers aged over 14 years have fallen from 19.5% in 2001 to 16.6% in 2007. This is among the lowest of any country in the world.

Quitting smoking at any age has short and long term health benefits. The people you live with, especially your children, will also be healthier if you quit smoking.

Further Information

www.quitnow.info.au
Quitline 131 848

Warning messages for cigarettes, and most loose and/or pipe tobacco for Set A
Warning messages for cigarettes, and most loose and/or pipe tobacco for Set B

Page currency, Latest update: 04 August, 2008