Dr Albert Rizzo on Potential Effectiveness of Graphic Warning Images on Cigarette Packages

Albert Rizzo, MD, FACP, chief medical officer for the American Lung Association, offers his thoughts on the FDA's recent proposal to require health warnings with images on cigarette packages.

Transcript

The FDA recently proposed requiring cigarette packages to include health warnings with images on them. Do you think this would be effective in deterring smoking?

I hope so. Other countries have done this well before us, and there are indications that this makes a difference. The current warnings are hardly seen most of the time, so I think the graphic warnings can be helpful especially those just starting or thinking about smoking. Once a smoker is hooked to nicotine, it becomes very hard to quit. The graphic warnings may be helpful, but by in large, they need to get off their nicotine addiction with a lot of help, with some nicotine replacement therapy, and some of the other FDA-approved medications for smoking cessation.