Another Smoking Crackdown

By Sean Stillmaker in News on Nov 13, 2010 4:00PM

Denis Leary thought the nth degree of cigarette warnings was a brand called Tumors sold in a black pack with a skull and crossbones on it. 17 years later, he’s not that far off. The Food and Drug Administration announced Wednesday they will be requiring graphic warning labels that cover half a package’s front and rear and the top 20 percent of all cigarette ads starting in 2012.

“It doesn’t matter how big the warnings are or how much they cost, keep raising the prices and we’ll break into your houses to get the f***ing cigarettes,” Leary said in No Cure for Cancer.

The warnings aren’t just words but contain graphic images such as a corpse and tracheotomy man. There are 36 proposed images each with two different styles that are available to view [pdf].

The agency will select nine by June 22, 2011. Manufacturers must begin putting warnings on by Sept. 22, 2012 and may not sell packs without them by Oct. 22, 2012. The FDA is seeking public comments on this rule from Nov. 12-Jan. 11, 2011.

Despite the crackdown on smoking very little has changed in regards to habits. Between 1997-2009 the smoking rate of adults18 and over has remained between 25-20 percent, according to the Center for Disease Control. However, this is a tremendous decrease from 1965 when it was at 42 percent.

The announcement comes on the heels of lung cancer awareness month. The Great American Smokeout is Nov. 18, which is a nationwide event that encourages smokers to quit together; it started in 1977.