Sunday Times 2
Forget cancer: Vanity will stop people smoking
Women are concerned about wrinkles and men are worried about losing their sex drive when deciding whether or not to quit smoking, new research reveals.
Despite smoking carrying significant health risks – such as a higher likelihood of developing cancer or heart disease – many smokers who give up are motivated to do so because of vanity rather than being at a higher risk of death.
Experts hope the findings will help create more efficient packaging to deter smokers.
Experts found that female smokers were particularly affected by images of smoking-induced wrinkles
Stirling University’s Professor Brian Williams said: ‘Eight out of ten smokers want to quit.
‘Targetting groups with images of issues that relate directly to their own concerns can have most effect.
By law all cigarette packets must display one of 42 graphic images, with one of three verbal warnings.
.For the study Professor Williams and colleagues at St Andrews University analysed over 19,000 responses from a survey into reactions to the packaging.
The study said: ‘Female smokers were also significantly more affected than men by all three images connected to aging of the skin.
‘Men were consistently more affected by the images relating to sexual performance/impotence.
The report concluded: ‘This suggests that, as specific images have a more persuasive effect on particular groups, it may be worth considering a targeted approach to anti-smoking messages, placing appropriate images on brands known to be purchased by young, adult and older smokers.’
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