煙草在線據《便利店新聞》報道編譯　　據由加拿大衛生部委托進行的一項最新調查結果顯示，美國對卷煙包裝印制圖片健康警語的提議可能被暫時擱置了，但從去年秋季開始，加拿大的卷煙包裝已印制了健康警語，不過并未達到預期效果。

　　據《國家郵報》報道稱，加拿大衛生部在今年3月委托環境研究集團（Environics Research Group）對吸煙者開展了一次基線調查。該項目調查了1505位加拿大的成年吸煙者。該調查結果顯示，絕大多數的吸煙者承認吸煙是一個主要的健康問題；但是，只有不到一半的受訪者認為煙盒上的健康警語對改變他們的整體吸煙習慣是有效的。

　　具體來說，近90%的受訪者稱他們曾看見、聽說或閱讀過之前宣傳的有關健康警語的信息。三分之一的受訪者稱他們每天會至少看一次健康警語的信息。參與調查的大多數吸煙者表示，健康警語信息能提供準確的和重要的有關吸煙危害健康的信息。據調查報告稱，受訪者能想起的圖片往往是最恐怖的那些圖片。

　　不過，如果政府試圖通過圖片健康警語來勸阻成年吸煙者放棄吸煙的話，那么他們很可能無法達到預期目標——只有三分之一的受訪者表示健康警語在促使他們減少吸煙方面有效。約40%的受訪者稱，這種健康警語信息使他們更愿意戒煙或更愿意嘗試戒煙。

　　6月19日，加拿大的卷煙零售商必須確保他們商店里的所有卷煙包裝使用了新的健康警語。類似的卷煙健康警語包裝將于今年9月在美國開始生效；不過，幾個煙草公司一直從法律上挑戰該項舉措。美國食品和藥品管理局在2011年6月公布了9種健康警語，并決定在2012年9月22日正式實施。但是，在2011年8月，R.J.雷諾、羅瑞拉德、共和品牌煙草公司和利吉特集團等幾個煙草公司根據《第一修正案》發起了訴訟以阻止該項措施的實施。

　　到目前為止，裁決似乎對煙草公司有利，不過，美國食品和藥品管理局并未放棄努力。正如CS新聞在線此前所報道的一樣，人們普遍認為，該訴訟將由美國最高法院做出最后裁決。

　　評論：

　　加拿大的控煙行動一直走在世界前列，是最早實行圖片健康警語的國家之一。圖片警語目的是要對吸煙者產生震懾作用，從而促使其戒煙，但是實施圖片警語后，能對多少吸煙者產生了多大的震懾作用，卻很難進行精確的統計。雖然久而久之，煙癮大的煙民可能會習以為常，但還是會有一部分成年煙民因此而減少吸煙或戒煙。對于青少年來說，圖片警語阻止他們開始吸煙的效果可能更好，因為那些原本設計時尚的煙盒，換成了令人恐懼的惡心圖片，將大大失去吸引力。總之，健康警語的效果，還需要從長期來進行評估。

Canadian Smokers Still Lighting Up Despite Graphic Warnings

　　Graphic cigarette warning labels may be on hold in the United States but cigarette packages in Canada have featured the health warnings since last fall and they may not be having the intended effect, according to a new survey commissioned by Health Canada.

　　According to the National Post, Health Canada commissioned Environics Research Group to do a baseline survey of smokers this past March. The project surveyed 1,505 Canadian adult smokers. The survey found that smokers overwhelmingly recognize smoking is a major problem; however, fewer than half of respondents consider the warning labels effective at changing their overall smoking habit.

　　Specifically, nearly nine in 10 said they have seen, heard or read about the earlier health warning messages. One in three said they look at the warning messages at least once a day. Most smokers participating in the survey said warning messages provide accurate, important information about the health effects of smoking. The images they recall tend to be the most graphic, according to the report.

　　But if the graphic warnings are meant to dissuade adult smokers from lighting up, they may be missing the target -- with one in three survey respondents indicating the warnings have been effective in getting them to smoke less. About four in 10 said the messages have increased their desire to quit smoking or made them try to quit.

　　Retailers in Canada had until June 19 to ensure that all cigarette packaging in their stores featured the new warnings. Similar warnings were set to be go into effect in the United States this September; however, several tobacco companies have been fighting the efforts in the legal arena. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) unveiled the nine warnings in June 2011 with a Sept. 22, 2012 implementation fate. However, in August 2011 several tobacco companies, including R.J. Reynolds, Lorillard Inc., Commonwealth Brands Inc. and Liggett Group LLC, filed a lawsuit to block the mandate on First Amendment grounds.

　　Rulings to date have appeared to come down on the side of the tobacco companies but the FDA is not giving up. The matter is widely expected to end up before the U.S. Supreme Court, as CSNews Online as previously reported. Enditem