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| Cigar Smoling |
Talking
cigarette packets could become the latest trend to encourage smokers to quit.
Scottish
researchers have created talking packaging to warn addicts of the risks to
their health.
The
idea was inspired by tobacco companies who have been making packaging more
attractive for consumers.
Researchers wanted to see if similar tactics could work against the companies and encourage people to give up the habit, rather than keep buying.
The researchers from the university's Centre for Tobacco Control
Research created two talking packets with different recorded messages.
One offered smokers a phone number for advice on quitting smoking
and another warned that smoking reduces fertility.
The recordings will play alongside the gory images and messages
already printed on the packs.
Researchers at Stirling
University have been testing the new devices on young women, and are about to
open this up to include older age groups and men.
The packets use similar technology to singing birthday cards were
a message plays when the lid
is opened.
The packs are fitted with a voice recording and playback unit so
that the message will be replayed whenever the packet is opened
The device was initially tested on women between the ages of 16 and 24, as this remains one of the groups with high smoking rates.
Volunteers said that they found the messages about fertility
'hard-hitting' and "'off-putting.'
Girls aged 16-17 in
particular said that it would make them think about quitting.
However, other volunteer said that the messages could lead them to
quitting or cutting back simply because they were so annoying.
One woman said: 'I think you would probably get used to it. Once
you start smoking you just ignore it.'
Crawford Moodie, one of the researchers, said: 'It is possible in
the future we may see packs that play music or talk, so we wanted to see if
that could be used for our purposes.
'With the talking packs, people thought they were really annoying,
but that is a really good way to capture attention. It created a lot of
interest.'
The sophisticated marketing can mislead people as
it disguises how harmful cigarettes are. This Cancer Research UK funded study
is looking to see if the marketing tools of the tobacco industry can be used to
help smokers quit instead.
Any changes to packaging would require new legislation to force
companies into using them. However, campaigners have welcomed the idea.
Sheila Duffy, chief executive of ASH (Action on Smoking and
Health) Scotland said: "The tobacco industry buys a great deal of creative
expertise to market its addictive and lethal products to new consumers, mainly
young people.