The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), which represents 60,000 pediatricians, commends the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for issuing final graphic warning labels for cigarette packs sold in the United States. The new labeling unveiled today, which was required as part of the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, will be larger and more prominently displayed on cigarette packs than previous warnings. This move is consistent with evidence supporting the effectiveness of larger, graphic warning labels in communicating the health dangers of tobacco use.

The new labels contain nine specific health messages and accompanying graphic images depicting the dangers of tobacco use, including, "WARNING: Tobacco smoke can harm your children," and "WARNING: Smoking during pregnancy can harm your baby."

"The AAP applauds the FDA for its bold new cigarette warning labels that parents and children alike can understand," said AAP president O. Marion Burton, MD, FAAP. "With 10 million cigarettes being sold every minute and more than 2,000 children under the age of 18 starting to smoke each day, we don't have a moment to lose in protecting the American public, especially children, from the harm caused by these dangerous products."

In comments submitted earlier this year, the AAP recommended that FDA include the 1-800-QUIT-NOW smoking cessation hotline on all new cigarette warnings to offer parents more resources to help them try to quit smoking. The AAP is pleased that the FDA has included this recommendation in its new labels, particularly because cigarette smoking and secondhand smoke exposure are the leading causes of preventable death in the United States. The AAP urges states and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to ensure that all quitlines include counseling to protect children and other non-smokers from secondhand smoke exposure.

"Warning labels play a critical role in educating children, teens and parents about the negative health impacts of tobacco use," Dr. Burton said. "With the average pack-a-day smoker encountering cigarette warning labels more than 7,000 times a year, the FDA's action to improve warning labels marks a significant step forward in the effort to reduce the death and disease caused by tobacco use."

While manufacturers have until October 2012 to begin rotating the warnings on their products and advertisements, the AAP urges tobacco companies to start implementing the new labels as soon as possible to protect children from the irreversible harm of tobacco use.

Source:
American Academy of Pediatrics