Almost a year after the introduction of graphic health warnings, the number of smokers in New Zealand has decreased.
Two years ago, when the introduction of photographic health warnings on cigarette packets were announced, a quarter of New Zealanders smoked. A year after the introduction that figure has dropped to one in five New Zealanders.
"It's a huge gain. It equates to 170,000 less smokers," the Ministry of Health's national director of tobacco control, Dr Ashley Bloomfield, said.
The substantial number of smokers stubbing out for the last time may not be due solely to the graphic warnings, but Bloomfield was convinced they were an effective tool.
"Over the 2007-08 year we saw a big increase in calls to the Quitline, and a 50 per cent increase in registrations with the Quitline. Some of that was driven by web-based registration, but I think that almost certainly reflects in part that all the packs now have the Quitline number on them."
Ben Youdan, director of anti-tobacco group Action on Smoking and Health New Zealand (Ash), agreed that pictorial warnings were having an impact. The organisation knows of smokers asking for packs with less disturbing warning pictures.
Next month, the current images will be replaced by different ones to prevent people from becoming desesitised to them. (pi)