Reactions of adult smokers to current U.S. cigarette warning labels

Audience: Participants will include health educators, researchers, and public health practitioners.

Key points: To assess adult current and former smokers’ reactions to the current U.S. warning labels, data were collected between April and May 2010 using the mail-in ConsumersStyles survey. The majority of current smokers (91.1%) reported that current warning labels never stopped them from having a cigarette when they were about to smoke (95% CI=89.1-93.1), and the current warning labels had no effect on their likelihood of quitting (75.5%; 95% CI=71.6-79.4). The respondents reported that they did not make efforts to avoid warning labels (83.0%; 95% CI=80.4-85.5). Among the former smokers, 56.9% (95% CI=53.8-60.0) indicated that the labels were not the reason why they remained abstinent. Findings confirm that few current smokers in the U.S. notice the current warning labels and that these labels do not make them think about the risks of smoking or have an effect on their likelihood of forgoing cigarettes or of quitting.  Warning labels can serve as a source of information that can impact various attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors.  A summary of the current issues around implementation of new warning labels will be provided.

Educational Experience: Presentation will include the most current information on attitudes and beliefs of smokers toward current labels within demographic subgroups with high rates of smoking.

Benefits: These findings from smokers’ reactions to existing U.S. warning labels can provide a basis for comparison when new labels are added to tobacco product packaging.