On January 18, 1964, American doctors demanded that the US authorities oblige tobacco companies print warnings about the dangers of smoking on cigarette packs. And although many smokers traditionally do not pay attention to them, countries continue to work together to combat smoking, tightening laws and conducting various anti-tobacco campaigns. So, over time, the inscriptions on the packs become more and more threatening; in many countries, in addition to the inscriptions, pictures appeared depicting dire consequences smoking.
AiF.ru looked at how the appearance of cigarette packs changed in Russia and the world. See our photo feed for more details.

After January 18, 1964, the first warnings about the health hazards of smoking appeared on cigarette packs.
The global standard for warning labels came to Russia only in the late 70s. Then the symbol appeared on cigarette packs for the first time. catchphrase“The Ministry of Health warns: smoking is dangerous to your health.” The inscription was often printed not on the front, but on the side of the pack, which made it almost invisible to the smoker.
4% of the area of ​​the larger side of the pack was allocated for the location of the text. Also, the requirements for the font, background and frame were not regulated, so manufacturers tried to fit the inscription into the overall design.
This way the warning was as invisible as possible to the buyer. Often, a narrow font that was not the most easy-to-read was used. And when “Ministry of Health” turned into “Ministry of Health and Social Development,” the inscription ceased to be readable at all. This format of warnings existed in Russia until 2009.
In 2009, the requirements became stricter. The main inscription - “Smoking kills” in a black frame now takes up at least 30% on one side, and the additional inscription - at least 50% on the other. Cigarette packs existed in this form until 2013.
Similar standards apply for warning labels in Europe and the USA.
The catchy inscription is located in a black frame on a white background
Since 2013 in Russia, inscriptions on packs have been accompanied by drawings. 12 pictures with images approved different types diseases that are located on the back of a cigarette pack and occupy half its size. On front side The sign “Smoking Kills” still remains.
Scary pictures can be seen on cigarette packs not only in Russia. A similar method of informing about the dangers of smoking is practiced in, for example, Australia, Canada, Brazil and Thailand (pictured).
In the US, graphic images have been used since 2009. True, here they are no longer so heartbreaking: instead of realistic photos, drawings are printed on the packs.

According to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, “health warnings describing the harmful effects of tobacco use” must appear on every package tobacco products. Such warnings are approved by the relevant competent national authorities, must be changed periodically, and be “large, clear, and easy to read.” Important characteristic warnings is the proportion of the tobacco product packaging surface they occupy: “50% of the main labeled surface or more, but in no case less than 30%.”

The European Union countries have adopted the following requirements for warning labels on cigarette packages:

• the warning notice is located in a black frame on a white background, with an area of ​​at least 30% of the area of ​​the pack (not including the area of ​​the frame itself);
• warning labels are approved by the competent national health authority and are changed periodically (to prevent addictive effects);
• prohibition of the use of the terms “lungs” and other similar terms, color solutions, as well as brands that have positioned these cigarettes as less harmful since September 2003;
• A number of EU countries have made it mandatory to include photographs of human organs affected by diseases caused by smoking and other harmful effects of smoking on cigarette packs. At the same time, the experience of other countries, primarily Canada, is taken as a basis.

The area allocated for these purposes ranges from 30% to 100% (front or back of the pack) in accordance with the legislation of a particular country. The texts and graphics of warning labels are approved by the competent national health authority and are changed periodically.

Canada was one of the first countries to introduce graphic warnings on cigarette packs (in 2001). They were distinguished from the previous ones by their increased size (over 50% of the packaging area), color images, numerous warnings, as well as the presence of descriptions of the consequences of smoking and advice on quitting smoking posted on inside packs.

The past period allows us to evaluate the effectiveness of this tobacco control measure. Comparative studies across countries were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of scary photographs on cigarette packs. Canadian smokers showed the greatest awareness of the harmful health effects of smoking compared to smokers in Australia, the UK and the US: the risk of impotence, stroke and lung cancer in passive smokers 60% of Canadian smokers knew (versus 36% of Australians, 34% of Americans, 36% of Britons). Canadian smokers also demonstrated significantly greater content awareness tobacco smoke: about carbon monoxide ( carbon monoxide), arsenic and cyanide. Cigarette packaging was considered effective as a source of information about the dangers of smoking by 84% of Canadians (compared to 69% of Australians, 56% of Americans and 47% of Britons). International experience shows that the appearance of shocking pictures on cigarette packs had a significant impact on changing the perception of smoking by smokers themselves: for example, in Brazil, 78% of them approved the appearance of such warnings, 67% wanted to quit smoking, and more than 50% changed their opinion about the consequences of smoking for health. An analysis of global experience in the development and introduction of warnings on tobacco product packaging shows that this effective way informing smokers about the risks and consequences of tobacco consumption. Similar conclusions were voiced in the Report World Organization Public Health on the 2008 Tobacco Epidemic.

Situation in Russia

In 2008, with the support of regional consumer societies, ConfOP conducted a survey of 400 people in Moscow and Perm, finding out their attitude towards tobacco control measures, including various warnings on cigarette packs about harmful influence smoking for health. First of all, attention was drawn to the fact that the vast majority of respondents noted an increase in smoking in Russia over the past 10 years among young people (91.8% of respondents) and women (91.5% of respondents).

The effectiveness of health warnings on cigarette packages varied depending on the type of warning. The ineffectiveness of the currently existing small warning labels on packages was noted by the majority of respondents (89.7%), the use of large inscriptions was considered ineffective by 71.5% of respondents. At the same time, more than half of respondents (59.1%) believed that large color photographs on packs could help reduce smoking. It should also be noted that the majority of respondents were in favor of the fact that the Russian authorities need to make a decision to introduce color warning photographs on packages - 72.7%.

Currently, 4% of the area of ​​the larger side of the pack is allocated for a warning message about the dangers of smoking, while the requirements for the font, background, and frame are not regulated in any way, which does not comply with the requirements of the WHO Convention on Tobacco Control. From July 2010, requirements for health warnings on tobacco product packaging will be determined by Federal Law RF dated December 22, 2008 NQ 2b8-FZ " Technical regulations for tobacco products" (Article 10), which provides for: the main warning notice about the dangers of smoking on the front side of the pack and one of the warning notices about the dangers of smoking on the back side of the pack.

Warning notices, written in black letters on a white background, are placed in a black frame and located as follows: on the front side of the package the main inscription “Smoking kills”, occupying 30% of the surface, and on the side opposite the front - one of the other warning labels, occupying at least 50% of the surface.

The Ministry of Health and Social Development may change these labels once a year (not more often), as well as install new warning labels. Although this law theoretically allows the possibility of using drawings on cigarette packs (clause Article 1 O of the Technical Regulations states: “Each of the warning labels about the dangers of smoking... may be accompanied by drawings...”), tobacco companies - the official developers of this bill - have achieved such a formulation of the requirements for warning labels , which makes placement on packs graphic images virtually impossible.

The fact is that, according to paragraph 5 of Article 1 O of the same law, warning notices are applied "font as much as possible large size. Line spacing should not exceed the font height. Information should be evenly distributed over the entire area limited by the frame.".

Thus, if you follow the law, there is simply no space left to place pictures. Research conducted in different countries, have convincingly proven that there is a tangible connection between the size of the warning label, the presence of an image on a cigarette pack and the degree to which smokers are aware of the risks of smoking, chemical composition tobacco products and the harmful effects of tobacco on health.

Assessing the situation with warnings about the dangers of smoking on cigarette packs in Russia, we have to admit that convincing results international experience were not adopted to the extent that would allow us to take another serious step in the fight against tobacco in our country.

Today, May 15, in Russia, inscriptions will begin to appear on cigarette packs revealing information about the composition of their contents. On each package it will be written “Contains systemic poisons, carcinogenic and mutagenic substances.” The size of the inscription will be no less than 17% of the side surface of the pack.

Such requirements were introduced in connection with the entry into force of the technical regulations of the Customs Union on tobacco products. The document also requires that the packages contain no information that misleads people. For example, the words “light”, “soft”, “ultra-thin”, which make a person feel that this particular product is less harmful. For the same reason, it is prohibited to indicate the amount of nicotine, tar, carbon monoxide, so that people do not think that the degree of impact on the body depends on these numbers.

In addition, it is prohibited to decorate packs with information that causes people to associate tobacco products with food or medicine - it will not be possible to draw strawberries, flowers and leaves, which may cause an association with herbal tea or balm. An exception is made only for menthol.

Plus, scary pictures and inscriptions deciphering them will be placed on both sides of the pack. The size of the picture will be at least 50% of the area of ​​the main sides of the pack. On the front side the picture will be at the top. And the inserts, which smokers previously loved to cover up an unpleasant picture, have become prohibited, writes "