FDA Enforces Graphic Warnings On Cigarette Packaging

Today the Food and Drug Administration along with the Department of Health and Human Services made a shocking announcement. In the near future, cigarette companies will now be required to use EXTREMELY graphic warning labels including corpses, cancer patients, even pictures of cancerous lungs!

The images are part of a new push announced by the Food and Drug Administration and the Department of Health and Human Services on Wednesday to reduce tobacco use, which is responsible for about 443,000 deaths per year.

The number of Americans who smoke has fallen dramatically over the past 40 years, but those declines have stalled recently. About 46 million adults in the U.S., or 20.6 percent, smoke cigarettes, along with 19.5 percent of high school students.

The new prevention plan is part of the law passed in June 2009 giving the FDA authority to regulate tobacco, including marketing and labeling guidelines, banning certain products and limiting nicotine. The law doesn’t let the FDA ban nicotine or tobacco entirely.

The administration has several variations of phrases and pictures that will be the subject of intense study and review until June of 2011 where the final packaging changes will be chosen.

The FDA is proposing 36 labels for public comment, which include phrases like “smoking can kill you” and “cigarettes cause cancer,” but also feature graphic images to convey the dangers of tobacco use.

The new warning labels are to take up half of a pack — both front and back — of cigarettes and contain “color graphics depicting the negative health consequences.” Warning labels also must constitute 20 percent of advertisements.

Cotdamn…and we thought those TRUTH commercials were crazy! Do you all feel that the FDA is taking things too far in their fight against “Big Tabacco”?? Would these type of images deter you from coppin that fresh pack of Newports??

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