Anti-smoking campaign: shocking tactics

1. BMJ 2012;345:e8697 doi: 10.1136/bmj.e8697 (Published 28 December 2012) Page 1 of 2
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New anti-smoking campaign adopts shock tactics
Gareth Iacobucci
BMJ
A hard hitting new government campaign warning about the The advert, targeted at young people, will air pre-watershed for
“hidden dangers” of smoking may not be effective in targeting nine weeks from 28 December 2012 and will be supported by
all smokers and should be used alongside other measures, say outdoor and online media.
public health experts. England’s chief medical officer Sally Davies said: “We want
The campaign, launched this week by the Department of Health, smokers to understand that each packet of cigarettes increases
includes a new TV advert featuring a tumour growing on a their risk of cancer. And I want smokers to know that the NHS
cigarette as it is smoked, which is designed to make the invisible will help you quit.”
damage caused by cigarettes visible. The government estimates Davies described the campaign as “a tough message for a new
that around 365 000 people will attempt to quit as a result of generation,” many of whom will recall previous hard hitting
the campaign. campaigns. “It is difficult getting the message over, [but] I truly
But public health experts said the shock tactics will benefit some believe this campaign is going to make a difference.”
more than others and called for other initiatives, such as Harpal Kumar, chief executive of Cancer Research UK, said:
standardised packaging of tobacco products and funding for “Hard hitting campaigns such as this illustrate the damage
smoking cessation schemes. caused by smoking and this can encourage people to quit or
John Middleton, vice president of the Faculty of Public Health, may even stop them from starting in the first place.”
said: “FPH welcomes this focus on the dangers of smoking as Martin Dockrell, director of policy at public health charity
part of a broader strategy that it believes should also include Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), said: “You need a variety
the standardised packaging of tobacco products. of messages. There are a lot of smokers out there who have tried
“However, it urges caution that the approach may benefit some to quit before and just need the help to motivate themselves.
more than others, and that monitoring its effectiveness may For many, a campaign like this will stiffen their resolve.”
prove difficult. Positive images of non-smoking and of how to Melanie Wakefield is director of the Centre for Behavioural
stop successfully are also needed. Many believe wrongly that Research in Cancer in Melbourne and has also done research
the harm is already done, so there is little point in stopping, or on tobacco control mass media campaigns. She said there was
they won’t cope without cigarettes. Work is needed to support strong evidence that mass media campaigns are effective in
these people and funding for smoking cessation services adults. They work in young people because they make smoking
secured.” “seem disgusting.”
The campaign, which will cost £2.7m (€3.3m; $4.4m), is “These kinds of messages work because they help adult smokers
described as the government’s first “shock” advert since the to viscerally ‘feel’ the risks of smoking—and therefore increase
“fatty cigarette” campaign in 2004. It has been sparked by the sense of urgency and motivation to quit. This style of
research showing that more than a third of smokers still believe campaign is highly effective in cutting through clutter of
the health risks associated with smoking are greatly exaggerated, competing media, and generates lots of discussion about the
while the number of people trying to quit has fallen. harms of smoking and the need to quit,” she said.
It is supported by several charities, including Cancer Research However, Wakefield added that the hard hitting campaign should
UK, and will also encourage smokers to collect “quit be complemented by other tobacco control policies and
kits”—practical tools and advice to help smokers quit additional help for people trying to quit.
smoking—which are available free of charge from more than
England’s Department of Health launched a consultation on
8200 pharmacies across England.
standardised tobacco packaging in April 2012 to which more
The government said the initiative would bolster the tough than 200 000 members of the public responded by the 10 August
message already being projected through banning tobacco deadline.1 2 The government is considering its response.
vending machines in licensed premises; raising the legal age of
smoking from 16 to 18 years; the “stoptober” challenge to stop 1 England to have consultation on plain packaging for cigarettes. BMJ 2012;344:e2776.
smoking for 28 days, and the national campaign warning against 2 Public supports plain cigarette packaging. BMJ 2012;345:e5517.
the dangers of second-hand smoke.
Cite this as: BMJ 2012;345:e8697
© BMJ Publishing Group Ltd 2012
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2. BMJ 2012;345:e8697 doi: 10.1136/bmj.e8697 (Published 28 December 2012) Page 2 of 2
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