(Medical Xpress)—A new survey adds further weight to the growing evidence that standardised tobacco packaging could help discourage teenagers from smoking.
The survey, carried out by the British Heart Foundation (BHF), asked 2,500 13- to 18-year-olds from the UK and Australia about their attitudes to tobacco packaging. Only around a third (36 per cent) of UK teenagers surveyed were put-off smoking by current packaging compared to nearly half (48 per cent) of teens in Australia, where standardised packaging is already in place.
Worryingly, 10 per cent of teenagers in the UK make the incorrect assumption that certain cigarette brands are healthier than others - twice as many as Australian teens (5 per cent).
The poll also revealed support for standardised packaging from UK teenagers, with three quarters of those surveyed saying they think standardised packaging should be introduced in the UK.
Earlier this year the Government said plans to introduce standardised packaging in the UK would be put on hold until ministers had assessed its impact in Australia. Following their survey, the BHF says the legislation should be implemented without delay.
BHF chief executive, Simon Gillespie, said: "The message from our young people is loud and clear: current health warnings aren't up to the job and the UK Government must step up to the mark and introduce standardised packs.
"Australia has led the way on standardised packs, the Scottish Government has committed, and now the rest of the UK must act to protect future generations from a deadly habit."
An upcoming debate in the House of Lords will focus on a cross-party amendment to the Children and Families Bill, which could see introduction of standardised packaging in the UK.
Dr Claire Knight, health information manager at Cancer Research UK, said: "The cost of smoking is immense - financially and socially. Smoking is the single greatest avoidable risk factor for cancer and it increases your risk of 14 different types of cancer. Starting smoking at a young age greatly increases the risk of lung cancer.
"This is why we strongly support plain, standardised packaging of tobacco as a way to help reduce the attraction of the cool, glamorous cigarette packets designed to encourage young people to take up this deadly habit."
Explore further: Mums and grans back plain, standardised packaging to protect children from tobacco marketing
Medical Xpress on facebook
Related Stories
Mums and grans back plain, standardised packaging to protect children from tobacco marketing
Aug 26, 2013
While the UK government remains unsure about the effectiveness of removing glamorous packaging on cigarettes, eight in ten women have less doubt and agree that bright, colourful packaging tends to make products ...
Glitzy cigarette packs entice kids to start deadly addiction
Sep 27, 2013
A Cancer Research UK study reveals for the first time that glitzy and glamorous cigarette packaging makes children susceptible to smoking - tempting them in to a habit that kills half of all long term users. ...
Removing branding from cigarette packets stubs out their appeal
Apr 25, 2013
Women say they get less satisfaction and less enjoyment from smoking cigarettes that come in plain, standardised packs - according to new research released today (Thursday).
More than 200,000 UK children start smoking every year (w/ Video)
Mar 22, 2013
Around 207,000 children aged 11-15 start smoking in the UK every year according to new research published today (Friday).
Government urged to pack it in to protect children from tobacco marketing
Nov 30, 2012
Nearly two thirds (63%) of people in the UK back a move to get rid of colourful and slickly designed cigarette packets according to a survey of more than 2000 adults commissioned by Cancer Research UK.
Recommended for you
Building stronger bones one runner at a time
20 minutes ago
(Medical Xpress)—Helping others avoid the broken bones she had as a teenager motivated Wake Forest senior Aubrey Bledsoe to work with a health and exercise science professor to study bone health in athletes.
Eating disorders often associated with reproductive health problems
25 minutes ago
Women with eating disorders are less likely to have children than others in the same age group, indicates a study conducted at the University of Helsinki, Finland. The likelihood for miscarriage was more than triple for binge-eating ...
GPs unlikely to recommend alternative duties for injured workers
40 minutes ago
Victorian General Practitioners (GPs) are more likely to order ill or injured workers stay away from work than recommend alternative duties, according to an Australian first study.
EU lawmakers to push ahead with anti-tobacco plans (Update)
2 hours ago
European lawmakers on Tuesday were set to tighten rules governing the multibillion-dollar tobacco market by imposing bigger and bolder warnings on cigarette packs, banning most flavorings like menthol and strengthening regulation ...
Evaluating mobile weight loss apps on use of evidence-based behavioral strategies
7 hours ago
In a new study published by the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, UMass Medical School behavioral psychologist and weight loss expert Sherry Pagoto, PhD, and colleagues find that mobile apps to help people lose weight ...
New study shows link between car crashes and adverse pregnancy outcomes
7 hours ago
A new study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine indicates that motor vehicle crashes can be hazardous for pregnant women, especially if they are not wearing a seat belt when the accident occurs.
User comments
© Medical Xpress 2011-2013, Phys.org network
(Medical Xpress)—A new survey adds further weight to the growing evidence that standardised tobacco packaging could help discourage teenagers from smoking.
The survey, carried out by the British Heart Foundation (BHF), asked 2,500 13- to 18-year-olds from the UK and Australia about their attitudes to tobacco packaging. Only around a third (36 per cent) of UK teenagers surveyed were put-off smoking by current packaging compared to nearly half (48 per cent) of teens in Australia, where standardised packaging is already in place.
Worryingly, 10 per cent of teenagers in the UK make the incorrect assumption that certain cigarette brands are healthier than others - twice as many as Australian teens (5 per cent).
The poll also revealed support for standardised packaging from UK teenagers, with three quarters of those surveyed saying they think standardised packaging should be introduced in the UK.
Earlier this year the Government said plans to introduce standardised packaging in the UK would be put on hold until ministers had assessed its impact in Australia. Following their survey, the BHF says the legislation should be implemented without delay.
BHF chief executive, Simon Gillespie, said: "The message from our young people is loud and clear: current health warnings aren't up to the job and the UK Government must step up to the mark and introduce standardised packs.
"Australia has led the way on standardised packs, the Scottish Government has committed, and now the rest of the UK must act to protect future generations from a deadly habit."
An upcoming debate in the House of Lords will focus on a cross-party amendment to the Children and Families Bill, which could see introduction of standardised packaging in the UK.
Dr Claire Knight, health information manager at Cancer Research UK, said: "The cost of smoking is immense - financially and socially. Smoking is the single greatest avoidable risk factor for cancer and it increases your risk of 14 different types of cancer. Starting smoking at a young age greatly increases the risk of lung cancer.
"This is why we strongly support plain, standardised packaging of tobacco as a way to help reduce the attraction of the cool, glamorous cigarette packets designed to encourage young people to take up this deadly habit."
Explore further: Mums and grans back plain, standardised packaging to protect children from tobacco marketing
Medical Xpress on facebook
Related Stories
Mums and grans back plain, standardised packaging to protect children from tobacco marketing
Aug 26, 2013
While the UK government remains unsure about the effectiveness of removing glamorous packaging on cigarettes, eight in ten women have less doubt and agree that bright, colourful packaging tends to make products ...
Glitzy cigarette packs entice kids to start deadly addiction
Sep 27, 2013
A Cancer Research UK study reveals for the first time that glitzy and glamorous cigarette packaging makes children susceptible to smoking - tempting them in to a habit that kills half of all long term users. ...
Removing branding from cigarette packets stubs out their appeal
Apr 25, 2013
Women say they get less satisfaction and less enjoyment from smoking cigarettes that come in plain, standardised packs - according to new research released today (Thursday).
More than 200,000 UK children start smoking every year (w/ Video)
Mar 22, 2013
Around 207,000 children aged 11-15 start smoking in the UK every year according to new research published today (Friday).
Government urged to pack it in to protect children from tobacco marketing
Nov 30, 2012
Nearly two thirds (63%) of people in the UK back a move to get rid of colourful and slickly designed cigarette packets according to a survey of more than 2000 adults commissioned by Cancer Research UK.
Recommended for you
Building stronger bones one runner at a time
20 minutes ago
(Medical Xpress)—Helping others avoid the broken bones she had as a teenager motivated Wake Forest senior Aubrey Bledsoe to work with a health and exercise science professor to study bone health in athletes.
Eating disorders often associated with reproductive health problems
25 minutes ago
Women with eating disorders are less likely to have children than others in the same age group, indicates a study conducted at the University of Helsinki, Finland. The likelihood for miscarriage was more than triple for binge-eating ...
GPs unlikely to recommend alternative duties for injured workers
40 minutes ago
Victorian General Practitioners (GPs) are more likely to order ill or injured workers stay away from work than recommend alternative duties, according to an Australian first study.
EU lawmakers to push ahead with anti-tobacco plans (Update)
2 hours ago
European lawmakers on Tuesday were set to tighten rules governing the multibillion-dollar tobacco market by imposing bigger and bolder warnings on cigarette packs, banning most flavorings like menthol and strengthening regulation ...
Evaluating mobile weight loss apps on use of evidence-based behavioral strategies
7 hours ago
In a new study published by the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, UMass Medical School behavioral psychologist and weight loss expert Sherry Pagoto, PhD, and colleagues find that mobile apps to help people lose weight ...
New study shows link between car crashes and adverse pregnancy outcomes
7 hours ago
A new study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine indicates that motor vehicle crashes can be hazardous for pregnant women, especially if they are not wearing a seat belt when the accident occurs.
User comments
© Medical Xpress 2011-2013, Phys.org network
0 comments:
Post a Comment