By Jay Jackson –
The Food and Drug Administration just came out with nine new pictures on packaging to illustrate some of the terrible affects of cigarette smoking.
These new packs could have pictures on them such as a diseased lung, a person that needs oxygen because of heart disease, a picture of a mouth was a result of smoking, and a picture of a baby meaning that smoke can cause a lot of harm to little kids especially. That is just one of the few pictures that may be on the new packaging.
“The introduction of these warnings is expected to have a significant public health impact by decreasing the number of smokers, resulting in lives saved, increased life expectancy and lower medical costs,” the FDA stated on their web site.
“The introduction of these warnings is expected to have a significant public health impact by decreasing the number of smokers, resulting in lives saved, increased life expectancy and lower medical costs,” according to the FDA’s website.
Some Penn Manor students have other plans however.
“It isn’t going to affect me,” said an anonymous junior who says he smokes a half of a pack a day. “I want to live my life to the fullest and if that happens when I am smoking so be it.”
This is the first time that the small warning labels would change in 25 years. These pictures may never make it to the cigarette packs however. The FDA and the cigarette companies are in a lawsuit to see if the FDA can make them change the packs to such extremes.
“We want to make a difference and help people who are smoking stop smoking and discourage people who haven’t taken up the habit yet,” FDA commissioner Dr. Margaret Hamburg told ABC News.
“One of the problems in our society is that we don’t have an illness idea about nicotine addiction,” said Dr. Mary O’Sullivan, director of the smoking cessation program at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt in New York. ” But that’s the story, suffering.”
The goal of these new packages are used to play on the emotions of the smoker or it could be just to scare them straight.
“The point of putting these pictures is the shock value and research tells us shock value on its own rarely works,” said Timothy Edgar, associate professor and graduate program director of health communication at Emerson College in Boston.
“I think people are still going to have a hard time saying, ‘Yes, that’s me on that label,'” he said. “There’s a physical addiction involved in this as well. It’s not an absolute choice for many who smoke.”
“Oh my god, if I saw those disgusting pictures on my pack of Marlboro Lights, I think I would throw up,” said a senior girl who was asked not to be named.
There are roughly 450,000 deaths caused by smoking each year and the FDA thinks that these pictures will deter people from smoking the deadly cigarette.
These pictures may scare some people however this doesn’t mean they will end up quitting.
“No way I will stop smoking,” said one senior. “I am addicted and I know it. I’ll stop when I am dead.”
Now we will just have to just wait and see if these disturbing photos will be printed on every packet of cigarettes.