Effective Pictures of Smoking Danger Warning?

Medical Video: Smoking Causes Cancer, Heart Disease, Emphysema

Indonesia ranks first in the highest number of adult male smokers in the world. Can images of scary warnings about the dangers of smoking reduce this number?

The beginning of the installation of spooky images on cigarette packs

Health warning labels on cigarette products are the most cost-effective and effective enough to educate the public, both smokers and non-smokers, about the health risks of tobacco use.

Various theories in social and health psychology, supported by a variety of empirical studies, have demonstrated the advantages of using visual images and images compared to text messages only in the communication process. Since the 1950s, many studies have shown that the attraction of fear is effective in motivating changes in healthy behaviors (such as quitting smoking), especially when juxtaposed with information about how to avoid these frightening consequences (for example, telephone numbers for help consulting stop smoke).

This is why approximately 40 countries in the world have introduced the horrific pictorial warning of the dangers of smoking in every pack of cigarettes, starting with Canada in 2001. In ASEAN countries, four of the 11 countries have implemented health warnings in the form of cigarette packaging since 2004 which was started by Singapore. In Indonesia, the rules for including warning images of the dangers of smoking have been running since June 2014.

Which is now a question, is the creepy image of the dangers of smoking really effective for suppressing the desire to smoke?

Effectiveness of spooky images of smokers in various countries

Quoted from WHO, evidence of a greater potential impact of pictorial warnings comes from various studies and interviews, including experimental studies and population-based surveys among Canadian, Australian, Dutch, New Zealand, Mexican, Malaysian and Thai smokers.

Referring to one of the studies held in Canada by David Hammond and his research team, reported from American Journal of Public Health, one fifth of a total of 616 participants reported a reduction in smoking activity as a result of exposure to warning images on cigarette packs, and only 1% of those who reported were even more active smoking. Although all participants reported a negative response to warnings of the dangers of smoking, including fear (44%) and disgust (58%), smokers who reported greater negative emotional impact were more likely to stop, try to quit, or reduce their smoking portion by three months then. Participants who chose to avoid paying attention to pictorial warnings (30%) reported tending to show less awareness of health risks or show a desire to be involved in smoking cessation behavior.

How is the effectiveness of warning images about the dangers of smoking in Indonesia?

Reporting from National Geographic Indonesia, based on data from the 2013 Basic Health Research, active smokers from the age of 10 years and over amounted to 58,750,592 people (36% of the total population), aka ten times the total population of Singapore.

The irony is that since the warning rules on the dangers of smoking use visual images of horrific images applied in the Indonesian market, Antara News reported Indonesia was named the country with the highest number of smokers in Southeast Asia with the number of active smokers reaching 51.1 percent of the total population.

In addition, according to The Jakarta PostCurrently, Indonesia is still ranked fourth in the total number of smokers, following China, Russia and the United States, while also ranked first with the highest number of active male smokers over the age of 15 years: reaching 67.4 percent of the total population .

Reporting from DW, with the average consumption of cigarettes reaching 1.085 cigarettes per head per year, the number of active smokers in Indonesia is believed to increase to 90 million by 2025.

The warning image of the dangers of smoking is considered less effective

In general, the warning graphics of the dangers of smoking on cigarette packs indicate that this creepy visualization: (1) is more concerned than warnings that only include text, (2) is more effective in educating smokers about the health risks of smoking and also increasing their subconscious suggestions regarding health risks, and (3) associated with increased motivation to quit smoking.

Even so, these creepy, realistic images - lung decay, malignant oral cancer with complete destruction of teeth and gums, to skull images - are considered a manipulative message for some people. This reaction could be a host weapon for the government in promoting the smoking cessation campaign.

According to a recent study from the University of Illinois in 2016, reported from Journal Nowthe warning was seen by many as a threat to freedom, choice or autonomy, so they acted instinctively against the warning.

"Horrible cigarette packs aim to" scare 'smokers to quit smoking, but instead form perceptions of threats to individual freedom in the people who see it, when compared to text warnings, "said Nicole LaVoie, a medical student involved in the study. According to LaVoie, this warning image actually makes people feel angry, not afraid, and feel cheated because the reality is much different than what is in the picture, based on the experience of people around and / or what they experience themselves.

Brian Quick, one of the researchers involved in the study, further said that, some individuals would not only react negatively to potential threats to their freedom, but they would be more likely to do things that are prohibited - in this case, smoking - to prove their rebellion against the threat.

According to the researchers, if someone had chosen to smoke, they would voluntarily disregard the pictures on their cigarette packs.

Although evidence of the decline in the average number of smokers in various parts of the world is undeniable, LaVoie argues that the decline is more influenced by increases in cigarette taxes and customs, as well as the prohibition of smoking in public places.