FDA Unveils New Mandatory Cigarette Labels

In an effort to stop people from smoking and prove just how DISGUSTING cigarettes really are, the Food and Drug Administration has unveiled nine new graphic cigarette warning labels on Tuesday.

On top of vividly horrifying images, cigarette packages must now carry one of these warnings:

"Cigarettes are addictive"
"Tobacco smoke can harm your children"
"Cigarettes cause fatal lung disease"=
"Cigarettes cause cancer"
"Cigarettes cause strokes and heart disease"
"Smoking during pregnancy can harm your baby"
"Smoking can kill you"
"Tobacco smoke causes fatal lung disease in nonsmokers"
"Quitting smoking now greatly reduces serious risks to your health."

The warning labels must cover 50% of the package and at least 20% of a cigarette ad, plus feature a phone number — 1-800-QUIT-NOW — that smokers can call for help to quit.

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said in a statement regarding the labels that must be in effect by September 2012:

"President Obama is committed to protecting our nation's children and the American people from the dangers of tobacco use. These labels are frank, honest and powerful depictions of the health risks of smoking and they will help. These labels will encourage smokers to quit and prevent children from smoking. President Obama wants to make tobacco-related death and disease part of the nation's past, and not our future."

Bravo! We applaud this effort and think it is about time, considering countries including Canada, Brazil and Australia have been doing this for years.

We're sure die-hard, stubborn smokers will continue the nasty habit despite the imagery, but hopefully the harsh new labels will convince younger smokers to stop before they even begin!

To see ALL of the FDA's new labels, click here!

Tags: australia, children, cigarette, death, disease, heart disease, pregnancy, smoking