Half of all long term smokers will eventually be killed by tobacco and of these, half will die during middle age losing 20 to 25 years of life. If vivid pictures of rotting teeth and blackened lungs bring home the true cost of smoking, print them on packs in the UK in full colour. Ms Stihler, said existing health warnings were obscured by clever colour combinations, striking packaging and tucked behind careful displays. Low tar cigarettes inflict the same damage as conventional cigarettes - smokers just draw harder to get the same kick. Current rules Current EU legislation requires cigarette health warnings to cover a minimum of four per cent of the pack.
Member states have the option to go further and the UK opted for six per cent.
Under the new proposals, the size of cigarette health warning labels would be increased to cover almost a third of the pack and for the first time include hard-hitting images of the impact that smoking can have on health. The proposals also include plans to reduce the tar content in cigarettes from 12mg to a maximum of 10mg per cigarette and introduce an EU ceiling for nicotine of 1mg and of carbon monoxide of 10mg.