Those graphic images warning about the dangers of tobacco are losing their impact, so non-smoking advocates are asking the federal government for new ones, including a photo of dying lung cancer victim Barb Tarbox.
Health warnings on tobacco products have been the same for the past 10 years despite Canada once being a global leader in the campaign.
Les Hagen, executive director of Action on Smoking and Health, said the government has been dragging its feet on the proposed new and larger health warnings.
“As each day passes, those warnings are less and less effective,” Hagen said at a press conference Tuesday. “Health Canada has been working on new ones for seven years and spent millions in the development — they’re ready to go.”
Health Canada said it’s not stonewalling.
Tim Vail, director of communications for the minister of health, said $15.7 million is spent annually on anti-tobacco measures. An additional $3.6 million was used to update the health warnings, which have not made it onto packaging yet.
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Most of the money was spent on public-opinion research, showing Canadian smokers had dulled to the old graphics, so larger, more intense images were needed.
However, tobacco companies have lobbied against the bigger warnings and have told Ottawa to crack down on contraband cigarettes instead. Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq has said fighting this is now the government’s focus.
“It’s part of what the government is doing,” said Vail. “This isn’t about big tobacco companies at all, but making sure when we move forward as a government we do it efficiently and effectively and get Canadians to stop smoking.”
The photo of Albertan Barb Tarbox, 42, in her last days of fighting lung cancer, is being considered as a health warning, said Vail.
Tarbox, an anti-smoking crusader, died in 2003.
Her husband, Pat, noted it was one of Barb’s last wishes to have her dying image conveyed on cigarette packages. He said Canada is dropping the ball.
Liz Viccars, Canadian Cancer Society regional vice-president of community engagement, said the 16 warnings have been printed 800 million times and seen on 19 billion occasions during the past decade.
“In 1999 to 2005, overall the smoking rates in Canada decreased by six per cent, but only by one per cent in 2005 to 2009,” said Viccars. “We really believe part of the issue is the familiarity of these warnings.”
Health Canada said the new warning labels are still in the works, but Vail couldn’t say when they’d be printed.
Viccars said it’s something she’d like to believe will happen, but she’s already been waiting seven years.
lstorry@calgaryherald.com
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