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Here Are the Gross Images Coming to Your Pack of Cigs

Feds hope damaged teeth, lungs will deter smokers

By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff

Posted Jun 21, 2011 9:29 AM CDT

(Newser) – The new cigarette package labels are out, and they’re not pretty. Federal health officials today released the nine warning labels that will cover the top half of all cigarette packages manufactured after September 2012, and they include graphic photographs of damaged teeth and lungs and an autopsied body as well as simple warnings like, “Smoking can kill you.” The new labels mark the first major change to cigarette warning labels in more than 25 years, the New York Times reports.

Of course, tobacco manufacturers are not happy about the new warnings, which will also appear on 20% of cigarette advertisements; all four leading tobacco companies are threatening legal action on the basis that their property and free speech rights are being unfairly damaged, in part because the images will obscure their brand names. The Department of Health and Human Services hopes the new labels, which are the result of recent landmark anti-smoking legislation allowing the FDA to regulate tobacco, will encourage smokers to quit and stop children from picking up the habit. Click for one columnist who doesn’t think this “gross” strategy works.

This image provided by the US Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday, June 21, 2011 shows one of nine new warning labels cigarette makers will have to use by the fall of 2012.
This image provided by the US Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday, June 21, 2011 shows one of nine new warning labels cigarette makers will have to use by the fall of 2012.   (AP Photo/U.S. Food and Drug Administration)
This image provided by the US Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday, June 21, 2011 shows one of nine new warning labels cigarette makers will have to use by the fall of 2012.
This image provided by the US Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday, June 21, 2011 shows one of nine new warning labels cigarette makers will have to use by the fall of 2012.   (AP Photo/U.S. Food and Drug Administration)
This image provided by the US Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday, June 21, 2011 shows one of nine new warning labels cigarette makers will have to use by the fall of 2012.
This image provided by the US Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday, June 21, 2011 shows one of nine new warning labels cigarette makers will have to use by the fall of 2012.   (AP Photo/U.S. Food and Drug Administration)
This image provided by the US Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday, June 21, 2011 shows one of nine new warning labels cigarette makers will have to use by the fall of 2012.
This image provided by the US Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday, June 21, 2011 shows one of nine new warning labels cigarette makers will have to use by the fall of 2012.   (AP Photo/U.S. Food and Drug Administration)
This image provided by the US Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday, June 21, 2011 shows one of nine new warning labels cigarette makers will have to use by the fall of 2012.
This image provided by the US Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday, June 21, 2011 shows one of nine new warning labels cigarette makers will have to use by the fall of 2012.   (AP Photo/U.S. Food and Drug Administration)
This image provided by the US Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday, June 21, 2011 shows one of nine new warning labels cigarette makers will have to use by the fall of 2012.
This image provided by the US Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday, June 21, 2011 shows one of nine new warning labels cigarette makers will have to use by the fall of 2012.   (AP Photo/U.S. Food and Drug Administration)
This image provided by the US Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday, June 21, 2011 shows one of nine new warning labels cigarette makers will have to use by the fall of 2012.
This image provided by the US Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday, June 21, 2011 shows one of nine new warning labels cigarette makers will have to use by the fall of 2012.   (AP Photo/U.S. Food and Drug Administration)
This image provided by the US Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday, June 21, 2011 shows one of nine new warning labels cigarette makers will have to use by the fall of 2012.
This image provided by the US Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday, June 21, 2011 shows one of nine new warning labels cigarette makers will have to use by the fall of 2012.   (AP Photo/U.S. Food and Drug Administration)
This image provided by the US Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday, June 21, 2011 shows one of nine new warning labels cigarette makers will have to use by the fall of 2012.
This image provided by the US Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday, June 21, 2011 shows one of nine new warning labels cigarette makers will have to use by the fall of 2012.   (AP Photo/U.S. Food and Drug Administration)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 20 comments
Cheni99a1
Jun 22, 2011 10:17 AM CDT
While it's a shame that cigarettes are mass-produced and sold the way they are (people should have to roll or even grow their own tobacco if they want to enjoy smoking), I think this is a bit much. Those pictures are pretty sensational and probably won't even help much. People are free to make their own choices so let 'em smoke if they got 'em. Besides, overpopulation is going to be a huge problem one day anwyay
Jeffrey-Lebowski
Jun 21, 2011 8:54 PM CDT
They were nazis dude?
ar2997
Jun 21, 2011 2:44 PM CDT
Just let them all kill themselves slowly. It's what they want, right? 
US • Health

 
smoking • cigarettes • tobacco • anti-smoking • smokers

 
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