Cigarette warning label is a legal formality fulfilled by the cigarette manufacturers. The fact is that cigarette warning labels do not affect the smokers.
Warning labels were adapted in the late 1960s with a minor note saying "Smoking can be Hazardous to Health". It was only the 1970s that confirmed, smoking could kill. And, in 1985 other labels including warnings for Lung Cancer, Heart Diseases, Emphysema and that Smoking during pregnancy is Dangerous, were added.
Smoking is one habit that people are not ready to quit even when they are dying. This is because cigarette smoking leads to a rapid addiction for nicotine and is as addictive as alcohol and cocaine. Also, the placebo pleasures associated with smoking like stress relief, calmness and weight loss are other factors that keep the smokers addicted. "Cigarette Kills", "Cigarettes Cause Cancer" - these warnings do not help people quit or even reduce smoking. They are in fact ignored like they were meant to add 'grace' to the brand name.
One reason why I think people tend to ignore the harmful effects of smoking is because they think and believe that they are immune to it. This could be because when their body gives them signals of illness and they think of giving it up, they see others smoking around and get tempted. Each smoker thinks he is not the only one. Not only are they tempted but in the middle of these thoughts comes the theory of 'One Life'. The concept of one life says we have just one life to live so do all the things that make you happy. "Whatever happened to the idea of quitting!"
Do Cigarette Warning Labels Help?
Let's divide the smokers into three categories and see how cigarette warning labels could possibly affect them.
1. New/Rookie Smoker
2. Average Smoker
3. Chain Smoker
Those who have started smoking recently, smoke either for keeping up with the Joneses or for mere experimentation, I am calling them the new/rookie smokers. Cigarette