British Lung Foundation welcomes picture warnings on cigarette packs

The British Lung Foundation welcomes the news that cigarette packs will in future have picture warnings on them.

“Smoking less undoubtedly has a positive impact on lung health and so the British Lung Foundation welcomes any move that will encourage people to quit,” says Dr Noemi Eiser, honorary medical director of the British Lung Foundation.

“Damaged lungs really are quite frightening to look at and an image could highlight the dangers of smoking more effectively than written messages.”

Smoking facts

• Smoking kills more than 120,000 people in the UK each year. It is the biggest single cause of preventable illness and death in the UK
• One in three respiratory deaths in men (34%) in 2000 and one in four women (26%) were attributable to smoking
• 88% of all lung cancers are attributable to smoking