Page 2171 - Week 07 - Thursday, 17 June 1993

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IN 1973, THROUGH TOBACCO PRODUCT LABELLING, AUSTRALIANS WERE INFORMED THAT SMOKING IS A HEALTH HAZARD. IN 1987, THAT WARNING WAS REPLACED WITH FOUR MORE POINTED WARNINGS RELATING TO LUNG CANCER, HEART DISEASE, LUNG DAMAGE AND REDUCTION OF FITNESS.

HOWEVER, TOBACCO IS ONE OF THE VERY FEW PRODUCTS - IF NOT THE ONLY PRODUCT - IN OUR SOCIETY WHICH, WHEN USED EXACTLY AS THE MANUFACTURER INTENDS, WILL KILL ONE-THIRD OF ITS USERS -AND A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF NON-USERS, AS WELL, THROUGH THE WELL DOCUMENTED EFFECTS OF PASSIVE SMOKING.

THOSE WHO ESCAPE THE SENTENCE OF PREMATURE DEATH WILL INVARIABLY HAVE SOME LUNG DAMAGE AND OTHER ADVERSE HEALTH CONDITIONS RELATED TO THEIR SMOKING. EMPHYSEMA AND LOST LIMBS FROM VASCULAR DISEASE ARE EXAMPLES OF THE SERIOUS AND DISTRESSING COMPLICATIONS OF SMOKING.

IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT PEOPLE ARE WARNED, IN THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY POSSIBLE, ABOUT THE DANGERS OF SMOKING TO THEMSELVES AND TO OTHERS.

THE PROPOSED SYSTEM WHICH WAS ENDORSED BY THE MINISTERIAL COUNCIL ON DRUG STRATEGY IN APRIL 1992 DOES EXACTLY THAT: IT PROVIDES CLEAR AND OBVIOUS HEALTH WARNINGS.

THE SYSTEM COMPRISES 12 EXPLICIT WARNINGS WHICH WILL BE PRINTED IN BLACK LETTERS ON A WHITE BACKGROUND ON THE FLIP TOP OR TOP QUARTER OF THE PACK.

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