Abstract:
Smoking and tobacco usage have become a widely spread problem in Sri Lanka. Further,
the linkage between smoking and lung cancer has become very obvious. In contrast,
45.7% of men, 5.3 % of women, and 25.8 % overall are the current users of tobacco in
any form. Meanwhile, as to resolve the issues of tobacco usage, many health researchers
and professionals consider that the implementation of graphic warning labels on cigarette
packages as a breakthrough in anti-smoking communication efforts. It can be predicted
that smokers' intentions to quit smoking will increase as the depiction of the pictorial
warning becomes more graphic. Accordingly, this study was designed to evaluate the
effectiveness of pictorial warning on the quitting decision of tobacco smokers. Primary
data for the study were collected through a structured formal questionnaire. The sample
consisted of 261 respondents who are currently smoking and living within the Western
Province, Southern Province, and Central Province and the Snowball sampling technique
was used. The data were analyzed using descriptive analysis, correlation coefficient,
simple regression analysis, and multiple regression analysis. Test results indicated that the
pictorial warnings in cigarette packs are effective and have an impact on quit intention.
The findings of the study can be useful to public health officials to identify the
effectiveness of their warning labels and to educate the general public about the negative
effects of smoking.
Kyewords: Pictorial warnings, Anti-smoking promotional tools, Quit intension
