With Australia on the books and the UK likely to follow, smokers now have label options among their choices. Actually, it is not going to be a choice but lets pretend that it is for my post. When buying cigarettes smokers can choose from:
- reg(shorts) or 100s
- menthol or non-menthol
- mild or full flavored (aka light vs not light)
- graphic or Logo package
and now
- graphic or brand(logo) or plain package
Why the fuss about a pack label? Tobacco companies use them for branding. If I asked you to name a cigarette brand - even if you have never smoked, I bet you could name at least two. Some that come to mind for me are Camel, Kool, Pall Mall, Marlboro, Virginia Slims... etc. There is an image tied to those brands. Virginia Slims associates w/ successful, thin, liberated women. Marlboro is the rugged, tough, male. People start smoking, it is suggested, to become that image or have what those people have. Tobacco companies spend billions of dollars every year to make that so. Probably they spend more on branding than ever before because the Master Tobacco Settlement of 1998 severely restricted their advertising options and prevent sponsorship of sporting events.
Health experts use labels to dissuade people from smoking or to encourage them to quit. Warning labels were expanded with the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act of 2008 (they had to take up more space on the labels), but graphic pictures are due in 2014. Other countries have been using them for some time. The USA used the evidence from Australia and the UK to make a case for graphic messages in the 2008 law. The current CDC print and television ads are also graphic in nature.
Graphic labels are effective - but there are not VERY effective.
People who smoke have difficulty quitting due to the nature of nicotine addiction. But why do people even start? Why do thousands of adolescents try cigarettes every day and many become life long smokers. Currently 18% of high school students smoke. Read more statistics about youth smoking at the Tobacco Free Kids website here.
People start smoking when they are young - usually under the age of 18. Very few current smokers started after the age of 21. (I started when I was 15 and smoked 17 years. I have been quit 15)
Who is most susceptible to the promise of glamor, sophistication, popularity, success??? Youth. It is hoped that by making the cigarette packs plain there will be less of a branding effect. This change may lead to a true reduction in the prevalence of smoking.
We will have to wait a few years to test the effect of the Australia law - but it sure sounds reasonable in theory!
It seems that the deeper I get into my paper, the one I am writing for no real reason except that I think that it will help me accomplish some of my goals - oh that is a good reason, isn't it? Well, I am nearing the end, but realize that I need to become more familiar with one of the reports that has been released regarding front of pack labeling in this country.
I did want to tell you these two things so that you know where "we" are with regard to menu/vending labeling and package front signposting, or FOP labeling.
I may have said this already, but in regards to menu and vending machine calorie content disclosure mandated by the Affordable Care Act, the FDA will continue to take comments and expects to have a final rule for the establishments/operators by the end of this year. Once they have the final rule(guidance) in place, the restaurants will have six months to comply. The vending machine companies will have one year. The rule will say, among other things, what has to be on the signs; just calories, or other nutrient info as well.
The front of pack initiative is being driven by a congressional directive as well. At this time, the Institute of Medicine is completing Phase II of their two phase task. The report from Phase I has been published. That is the report I need to spend more time reviewing as it does come with a number of "conclusions." Those conclusions regard whether it makes sense to have a FOP standard, what should be included in the symbol, who the label should be for, and such. In Phase II the different types of sign posts and the working criteria the IOM has in place will be tested with consumers. Part of the initiative involves consumer ease of use, preference and comprehension of the new labeling . In fact, the letter that the director of Office of Nutrition, Labeling and Dietary Supplements sent to food providers is available here.
I called the IOM this week and they assured me that NO one was going to be privy to early results or leanings on which symbol they'd recommend (i.e. the multiple traffic light), but that the report on this research and recommendations to go forward should come out this fall.
Today I had a very productive meeting with the university vending machine contract director (head honcho) and we are a go for some type of machine initiative on campus that is related to informed eating. I am very jazzed about this :)
