Scary, yet banal

Scary, yet banal

Context

It is important to use different themes on tobacco products to shock users

What has happened?

India has come a long way from the small, meaningless and ineffectual pictorial warnings that were first used on tobacco products in May 2009. The size of the warnings was increased from 40% of the principal display area on only one side of the packet to 85% on the front and back sides of the packet from April 2016 onwards. India now has the third largest warnings in the world after Nepal and Vanuatu. In September, India will follow the World Health Organisation’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) guidelines by using scarier images to shock tobacco users

Why these new images might not have the desired effect?

• Though scary, they will highlight the same theme of oral cancer
• The fatigue that sets in on seeing the same theme may reduce the informational and shock value of the pictorial warnings, a fact that the WHO has also pointed out.

Connection between tobacco and lung cancer difficult for people to understand

• Images field-tested in India prior to finalising the new images revealed that people were unable to understand the connection between tobacco and lung cancer and other diseases
• While the devastating effects of oral cancer are plainly visible and shocking, every effort should be taken to depict the other negative consequences of tobacco use.

Conclusion

The Health Ministry has been steadfast in its goal to turn tobacco packaging to its benefit and so cannot be found wanting in 2020 when the next set of images is released