England has taken a progressive step by introducing measures to include motivational messages on cigarette packaging, aimed at inspiring smokers to kick the habit.
The country’s health department has outlined that cigarette packets will now feature inserts containing information on the potential financial benefits of quitting smoking, alongside potential health improvements. This strategy has been successfully implemented in other nations, including Canada and Israel.
Statistics reveal that approximately 76,000 individuals in the UK succumb to smoking-related deaths annually. While a survey conducted by the Office for National Statistics in 2021 indicates that the number of smokers in the UK is at an all-time low, an estimated six million people, constituting 13% of the population, still struggle with this habit.
In alignment with its commitment to combat smoking, the government has set a goal to eliminate smoking in England by 2030, equivalent to reducing the prevalence of smoking to 5% or less of the population. However, concerns have been raised about the feasibility of achieving this target without additional interventions, as experts predicted earlier this year.
For more than five decades, warning labels have adorned the exterior of cigarette boxes, cautioning users about the dangers of smoking. Interestingly, an impact assessment conducted in Canada demonstrated that smokers exposed to such messages were notably more inclined to attempt quitting.
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