The World Health Organization (WHO) has suggested Russia place frightening images on cigarette packs, WHO's spokesman in Russia Luigi Migliorini said on Wednesday at a press conference in Moscow.
The scary images will illustrate smoking consequences on human health. WHO hopes that the scary cigarette pack pictures will shock people into quitting the habit or not starting altogether.
Migliorini said a scary picture of a smoker with missing or yellowing teeth could serve as an example on the cigarette packs.
Specialists say that the experience of other countries shows the effectiveness of such images, which encourage smokers to kick the bad habit.
Dmitry Yanin, Director of Regional Development for the International Confederation of Consumer Societies in Moscow, said that it would be difficult to make those who have smoked for some 40 years quit using the pictures; however, the illustrations are meant to discourage those who might pick up the habit.
"In Moscow, 35% of students between the ages of 15 and 16 are regular smokers," Yanin said.
A WHO survey, conducted in 2009, found that Russia has 43.9 million smokers, which makes up 40 percent of the population.
The Russian government has already started taking steps to crack down on the addiction that kills up to 500,000 people a year. It has announced a plan to ban advertising and promotion of cigarettes from 2011 and to introduce a complete ban on smoking in enclosed spaces by 2015.
"Smoking kills" warning labels have already been introduced on cigarette packages in Russia.
MOSCOW, February 16 (RIA Novosti)
