METHODOLOGY:
According to FCTC Article 11 health warnings of tobacco consumption in United Kingdom is 30% in front cover of the pack and 40% behind the back.[i] Previously many researches have been conducted on plain packaging of cigarette packs with respect to its colours on the box, promotional appealing and warnings. There has been no research conducted in UK which includes pictorial and visuals warnings along with textual warnings on the packs. The front warnings of packs include warnings like “Smoking Kills”, “Smoking can harm children around you”, and “Smoking can cause heart disease” and behind the packs there are warnings such as “Smoking can cause slow and painful death”, “Your doctor or pharmacist can help you to stop smoking”. Qualitative method will be used to conduct this research. Qualitative method involved 3 focus groups of 10 people each including smokers and non-smokers between age group of 18-36 years. Qualitative research like focus group is helpful in accumulating eliciting information on culture and norms of a group and helps to discuss the problem in depth because of open-ended questions. Qualitative method enabled to get in-depth data and appropriate to understand attitudes, behavior and perceptions of people which helped in evaluating complex data developing a sense of social marketing among audiences (Miles and Huberman, 2002). [ii] When new research are conducted adopting new concepts in which various new theories are applied in the and finally from which new conclusions creates light of existing information and knowledge, the research becomes exploratory. It provides a new understanding to the topic on which further research can be based on and further conclusions can be made about. It also makes the research work more flexible as the newly derived theories expand into new territories and gives a whole new scope for research (Adams and Schvaneveldt, 1991).[iii] Group discussions were conducted in 3 focus group with total of 30 people. It included 16 smokers and 14 non-smokers. It involved 10 people in each groups. The key aim of involving the non-smokers in group discussion was according to social cognitive theory which states that individual gets influenced by things around him. According to social cognitive theory, the 3 important factors in influencing individual development are environment, behavior and cognition as people learn things by observing others.[iv] Non-smokers can help smokers to get influenced to quit and stop smoking according to social cognitive theory. People from age group of 18-36 years were involved in group discussions. Discussion was based on Marlboro, a pack which is one of a famous cigarette brand in United Kingdom. The materials used in group discussion were Marlboro packs with different pictorial visuals and textual warnings on it. Pictures with visuals and textual warnings on it were used addressing various problems and disease caused by excessive consumption of tobacco along with warning pictures of cessation support. With the help of these materials long discussion took place. Respondents were asked to place their views on Marlboro packs. Respondents were asked to share their feelings and personal opinions about the different warning visuals and cessation messages showing effect of excessive smoking and tobacco consumption
[i] Hammond D. FCTC Article 11 Fact Sheet: Health warnings on tobacco packages. Waterloo: University of Waterloo; 2008.
[ii] Miles MB, Huberman M. The qualitative researcher's companion: classic and contemporary readings. Sage Publications Inc; 2002.
[iv] Santrock, J. W. (2008). A Topical Approach to Lifespan Development (M. Ryan, Ed., 4th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. (Original work published 2002), pgs. 26, 30, 478
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