General

New U.S. tobacco warning labels show graphic images

Labels are aimed at warning smokers, encouraging them to quit

New U.S. tobacco labels, which must appear on cigarette packages and in advertisements no later than September 2012, will show disturbing images, including dead bodies, diseased lungs and a man on a ventilator, and a man smoking a cigarette through a hole in his throat, Reuters reports. The new labels were proposed in November under a new law that put the tobacco industry under the control of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. This is the first change to U.S. cigarette warnings in 25 years. More than 221,000 Americans will be diagnosed with lung cancer this year, accounting for about 14 per cent of all cancer cases.

Reuters

Looking for more?

Get the Best of Maclean's sent straight to your inbox. Sign up for news, commentary and analysis.
  • By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.
FILED UNDER: