Through a systematic review, researchers examined the impact of strengthening the warnings on cigarette packs. By strengthening the warnings on cigarette packs, they found, there is an increase in attention to warnings, a recall of warnings and thinking about the health risks of smoking.
The review was conducted with 22 studies that were published between 1997 and 2014 and covering 81,824 participants. They were conducted in 11 countries with the United States being a control country.
It was deemed that cigarette pack warnings were a compelling communication strategy. There were several stages of warnings that were conducted over the past four decades. These included simple, vague messages on the side of packs to rotating messages on the front of packs focused on specific health effects, often accompanied by color pictures.
To read the full study: http://journals.sagepub.com.umiss.idm.oclc.org/doi/full/10.1177/1077699016674188
Noar, S. M., Francis, D. B., Bridges, C., Sontag, J. M., Brewer, N. T., & Ribisl, K. M. (06/2017). Effects of Strengthening Cigarette Pack Warnings on Attention and Message Processing: A Systematic Review. Journalism and Mass Communication Quarterly, 94(2), 416-442.
