FDA Drops Graphic Cigarette Label Warnings, Misses Deadline Due To Court Ruling

Despite showing clear intent to make a significant shift towards graphic (and bigger) cigarette label signs in almost 25 years, the FDA is now backing out because of a court ruling.

Speaking of the impact of this inability to meet the looming deadline for new cigarette label warnings, Chris Hansen, the President of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, explained in a statement, “Every day that the current warnings remain in place is another day in which the tobacco industry misleads children and adults about the hazards of smoking and the health of the nation is compromised.”

The selected images, which were to be placed on cigarette packets were found by a ruling to violate freedom of speech, and which would make it impossible for the FDA to make the deadline with images that were more suitable.

The proposed images covered almost half the pack and consisted of graphics such as a man’s cancer-infested lungs, with a tracheotomy and rotting teeth and lips among others. If these images did fall through, it would also contain the quit smoking hotline, 1-800-QUIT-NOW.

The FDA also admits that these changes would have reduced the number of smokers but also increased life expectancy, medical costs and lives lost to this deadly habit.

Almost 443000 people die from cigarette smoking every year, and this habit is known to cause one in five deaths in the United States. In fact, smoking causes more deaths compared to the number of victims lost due to HIV, suicide, murder, alcohol consumption and illicit drug use combined.