New visual warnings ready

ANTI-SMOKING CAMPAIGN

Health authorities will ramp up their campaign against smoking by introducing new warning pictures on cigarette packs to warn of the dangers of the deadly habit.

The Public Health Ministry's announcement to introduce another 10 visual health warnings has been published in the Royal Gazette and will become effective on March 29, said Deputy Public Health Minister Manit Nopamornbodee.

The warnings include completely new pictures and health announcements, and revisions of existing ones.

Among them are photos of gangrenous feet with the message "smoking causes rotten feet", and a tumour on a smoker's face with a message "smoking causes 10 cancers".

The campaign aims to raise awareness among smokers of the habit's effect on specific organs and parts of the body.

Toxins in cigarette smoke can restrict blood supply which in severe cases causes gangrene, typically in the feet, for example, Mr Manit said.

Thailand made displaying graphic images of the health effects of smoking law in 2005.

Strict anti-smoking policies introduced in the past two decades, such as introducing smoke-free areas, increasing tobacco excise tax and banning tobacco advertising, have reduced the number of smokers in the country, according to a recent national survey on tobacco consumption.

However, anti-smoking campaigners are worried about the number of young female smokers, many of whom start smoking as young as 14.