STUDY TO ASSESS IMPACT OF PICTORIAL/ TEXT WARNINGS ON CIGARETTE, BEEDI AND CHUTTA PACKETS ON SMOKING HABITS.

Abstract

Introduction: Health warnings and pictures on cigarettes and other forms of smoking tobacco packets is intended to inform customers of potential dangers associated with using the product. This study was done to evaluate effectiveness and impact of health warnings and pictures printed on cigarette, beedi & chutta packets on smokers. The study population consisted of Method: 100 smokers who visited our college for oral and dental problems. During oral examinations, they were questioned about their smoking habits and various aspects regarding text and pictures printed on the cigarette, beedi and chutta packets with the help of a specically designed and validated questionnaire and sociodemographic data was collected from them. This study showed higher percentage of literacy among urban smokers(94.7%) compared Results: to rural smokers(72.1%). Absence of printed warnings in local Telugu language was tagged by many of the literate smokers as impeding their ability to read and understand the warnings. Most of the smokers saw pictures on the packets but chose to ignore them as they thought these as unlikely to affect them. Few of them attempted to quit the tobacco habit previously but failed on account of addictive nature of the habit, stress and tension. The health Conclusion: warnings and pictures printed on packets of tobacco products were marginally effective in inducing smokers to quit habit and there is need for more awareness in rural areas and need for printing of health warnings in regional languages.