Tobacco warning labels: Image+text should convey similar risks

In a study published in Tobacco Control, researchers found that health warning labels that include images or Pictorial Warning Labels (PWLs) are more effective in gaining and holding the attention of smokers when image and text convey similar risks. The study was led by Andrew A. Strasser, PhD.
“It is interesting that much of the tobacco industry’s argument against PWLs is that they are mostly emotionally evocative, too graphic, or not factually true. Our study demonstrates, with non-intrusive, objective measures, that smokers engage a great deal with the images, which likely suggests they do not find them too graphic or off putting,” Strasser said (News Release Penn Medicine, 5 June 2017).
Click here for the news release.
Click here for an abstract of the published article.

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