Shocking pictures 'more effective'

NST: KUALA LUMPUR: The inclusion of pictorial graphic health warnings on cigarette packs is to create a stronger message on the detrimental effects of smoking.
Health Minister Datuk Liow Tiong Lai said the pictures were more effective in shocking people than the current warnings in words.
"Pictorial graphics will leave a longer impression than words," he said after opening the National Heart Association of Malaysia Public Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) course, which was attended by 400 participants.
He was responding to a report in the New Sunday Times yesterday that 13 graphic health warnings against smoking had been short-listed and the ball is now in Liow's court to approve the pictures.
Once approved, cigarette companies will be given six months to comply with the ruling.
Malaysia, which is a signatory to World Health Organisation's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, has to ensure that cigarette packets display pictorial graphic health warnings by November.
Liow said some of the pictures which would be printed on cigarette packs included damaged lungs and bad teeth caused by smoking.
He said cigarette companies were supportive of the move as it would create awareness of the negative effects of smoking.
On CPR, Liow said millions of Malaysians did not know how to perform the simple life-saving skills.
On a survey that 45 per cent of physicians and 80 per cent of nurses are hesitant to perform CPR due to fears of contracting diseases and distaste for mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, Liow said medical professionals should not have such fears.
"As professionals, they should understand that CPR is a basic skill and diseases cannot be contracted if it is performed correctly."
He said the problem was due to lack of awareness as well as their attitude.