Australia - Warnings

Australian cigarette warnings

After March 1, 2006, cigarettes sold in Australia must be packaged with the following health warnings. The warnings must cover 30% of the front and 90% of the back of the cigarette package. Seven warnings are rotated within brands, and after 12 months, a different set of seven warnings is used.

Links to:
►full set of Australian warnings (pdf)
►Australian law

In 2008, an evaluation of the Australian warnings was undertaken.

On September 17, 2011, the Australian government made public the new health warnings that will be included when plain packaging is introduced. The warnings will cover 75% of the front of the package and 90% of the back of the package. These warnings will be effective December 1, 2012

► Government press release - December 2011
► Information Standard (draft regulation)

►Consultation paper

Set #2: Effective December 1, 2012

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SMOKING HARMS UNBORN BABIES

Smoking during pregnancy reduces blood flow in the placenta and limits the oxygen and nutrients that reach the growing baby. Smoking increases the risk of miscarriage, stillbirth, premature birth, problems during the birth or the baby having a smaller brain and body.

You CAN quit smoking. Call Quitline 13 7848, talk to your doctor or pharmacist, or visit www.quitnow.gov.au

WARNING

Tobacco smoke contains a toxic mix of chemicals that cause disease and early death in children and non-smoking adults exposed to the smoke.

SMOKING CAUSES BLINDNESS

Smoking damages your eyes causing blindness.

Want to talk about quitting? Call Quitline 13 7848, talk to your doctor or pharmacist, or visit www.quitnow.gov.au

WARNING The toxic chemicals in tobacco smoke can go everywhere that your blood flows, causing harm all over your body.

SMOKING CAUSES LUNG CANCER

Bryan was a teenager when he started smoking. Like many others he never thought it would kill him. He died aged 34, just nine weeks after he was diagnosed with lung cancer. He wanted others to know – ‘this is what happens to you when you smoke’.

Thinking of quitting? Call Quitline 13 7848, talk to your doctor or pharmacist, or visit www.quitnow.gov.au

WARNING 10 drags per smoke x 20 smokes per day x 365 days per year = 73,000 toxic drags per year.

SMOKING CAUSES MOUTH CANCER

Smoking is a major cause of cancers of the mouth, throat, and voice box (larynx). Treatment can include surgery that may deform your face and neck or leave permanent scars. It can also leave you with problems breathing, eating, speaking, and coping with life.

Want help with quitting? Call Quitline 13 7848, talk to your doctor or pharmacist, or visit www.quitnow.gov.au

WARNING Inhaling tobacco smoke releases benzopyrenes into your body. Benzopyrenes damage how your body protects itself from getting cancer.

SMOKING CAUSES PERIPHERAL VASCULAR DISEASE

Smoking narrows and blocks your blood vessels, reducing blood and oxygen supply to your extremities (feet, legs, hands, arms). Over time this can result in pain, open sores that don’t heal and gangrene. Gangrene leads to amputation.

Want advice on quitting? Call Quitline 13 7848, talk to your doctor or pharmacist, or visit www.quitnow.gov.au

WARNING The toxic chemicals from tobacco smoke can be found in your breath, urine and blood when you smoke.

SMOKING CAUSES EMPHYSEMA

Smoking causes most cases of emphysema. Emphysema is the slow and permanent destruction of the airsacs in your lungs. Over time it becomes harder and harder to breathe. You slowly start to die from lack of air.

Want help with quitting? Call Quitline 13 7848, talk to your doctor or pharmacist, or visit www.quitnow.gov.au

WARNING

Tobacco smoke contains hydrogen cyanide. Inhaling hydrogen cyanide damages the cleaning system of your lungs, allowing toxic substances to build up in the lungs.

QUITTING WILL IMPROVE YOUR HEALTH

Long term smokers can and do quit. Quitting smoking at any age has immediate and long term health benefits. Compared with a smoker, quitting today will halve your risk of:
. heart disease (after one year);
. mouth and throat cancer (after five years); and
. lung cancer (after ten years).

Thinking of quitting? Call Quitline 13 7848, talk to your doctor or pharmacist, or visit www.quitnow.gov.au

WARNING

There are no known health benefits in smoking products that taste lighter, milder or less harsh. The smoke still contains a toxic mix of chemicals that cause death and disease.

SMOKING DAMAGES YOUR GUMS AND TEETH

Smoking causes inflammation of the gum and other tissue around your teeth (periodontitis). Symptoms can include gum redness, swelling, bleeding, infection and pain. The gum, bones and other tissue supporting your teeth can be destroyed resulting in tooth loss. Want to talk about quitting?

Call Quitline 13 7848, talk to your doctor or pharmacist, or visit www.quitnow.gov.au

WARNING

The toxic chemicals in tobacco smoke damage your blood vessels, damage your body’s cells and attack your immune system.

SMOKING CAUSES THROAT CANCER

John was a smoker. He got cancer of the larynx (voice box). His voice box was removed. He had to learn to talk again. Now he can only breathe through the hole in his neck.

Want help with quitting? Call Quitline 13 7848, talk to your doctor or pharmacist, or visit www.quitnow.gov.au

WARNING

BDE (1,3 Butadiene) is found in large amounts in tobacco smoke. BDE causes leukaemia and other cancers.

SMOKING CAUSES HEART DISEASE

Smoking causes heart disease by damaging the blood vessels and blood supply to your heart. Smokers have more heart attacks, repeat heart attacks and angina than non-smokers. Quitting today will halve your risk of heart disease caused by smoking after one year. Want help with quitting?

Call Quitline 13 7848, talk to your doctor or pharmacist, or visit www.quitnow.gov.au

WARNING Inhaling tobacco smoke releases hydrogen cyanide into your body, a chemical that is very toxic to humans. It can damage parts of your body including your heart and lungs.

SMOKING CAUSES KIDNEY AND BLADDER CANCER

The cancer-causing chemicals you inhale with each puff go through your kidneys and bladder as your body tries to get rid of them in your urine. This makes smoking a major cause of kidney and bladder cancer. Blood in the urine is one of the most common symptoms. Want advice on quitting?

Call Quitline 13 7848, talk to your doctor or pharmacist, or visit www.quitnow.gov.au

WARNING Inhaling tobacco smoke releases benzene into your body. Benzene causes leukaemia, increases the risk of other cancers and is believed to be dangerous at any level of exposure.

SMOKING KILLS

Don’t think it won’t happen to you – half of lifetime smokers are killed by their smoking. How will you tell your loved ones if you get a disease caused by smoking? Imagine their distress, pain and suffering if smoking kills you.

Thinking of quitting? Call Quitline 13 7848, talk to your doctor or pharmacist, or visit www.quitnow.gov.au

WARNING The chemicals in tobacco smoke build up to high levels in your body over time. This increases your risk of death and disease the longer and more you smoke.

SMOKING DOUBLES YOUR RISK OF STROKE

Cinthia, a smoker for 25 yrs, had a stroke aged 39. The stroke damaged her ability to speak and move parts of her body. She says ‘The hardest part was relying on my kids to look after me – I should be looking after them.’ Don’t think it can’t happen to you – younger people suffer strokes too.

Thinking of quitting? Call Quitline 13 7848, talk to your doctor or pharmacist, or visit www.quitnow.gov.au

WARNING Inhaling even small amounts of the toxic chemicals in tobacco smoke can trigger sudden blood clots, heart attacks and strokes.

DON’T LET OTHERS BREATHE YOUR SMOKE

There is no safe amount of second hand smoke. Breathing even a little can be dangerous. It causes illnesses like pneumonia, middle ear infections and asthma attacks in children to be worse. It also causes heart disease and lung cancer in adults.

You CAN quit smoking. Call Quitline 13 7848, talk to your doctor or pharmacist or visit www.quitnow.com.au

WARNING Tobacco smoke contains a toxic mix of chemicals that cause disease and early death in children and non-smoking adults exposed to the smoke.

CIGAR WARNINGS

CIGAR SMOKING CAUSES MOUTH CANCER

Cigar smoking causes cancers of the tongue, lip and other parts of your mouth. You can get these cancers without inhaling. Treatment can include surgery that may deform your face and neck or leave permanent scars.

Want advice on quitting? Call Quitline 13 7848, talk to your doctor or pharmacist, or visit www.quitnow.gov.au

CIGAR SMOKING CAUSES LUNG CANCER

Cigar smoking causes lung cancer, whether you inhale or not. Most people who get lung cancer die from it.

Want to talk about quitting? Call Quitline 13 7848, talk to your doctor or pharmacist, or visit www.quitnow.gov.au

CIGAR SMOKING IS NOT A SAFE ALTERNATIVE

Smoking cigars causes death and disease whether you inhale or not. It increases your risk of heart disease, respiratory diseases and cancers of the mouth, throat and lung.

Want help with quitting? Call Quitline 13 7848, talk to your doctor or pharmacist, or visit www.quitnow.gov.au

CIGAR SMOKING CAUSES THROAT CANCER

Cigar smoking causes cancer of the throat and voice box (larynx). Treatment can include surgery that leaves you with problems breathing, eating, speaking and coping with life.

Thinking of quitting? Call Quitline 13 7848, talk to your doctor or pharmacist, or visit www.quitnow.gov.au