Go Retro with a Stylish Cigarette Case

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is proposing graphic warnings on cigarette packages, but who wants to look at gruesome photos? U.S. officials announced that the images would include "emaciated lung cancer patients, a dead body in a morgue, and a baby confined to a respirator (presumably the result of secondhand smoke)." Will the warnings deter habitual and would-be smokers? It's possible—similar graphic warnings are credited for a 5% decrease among Canadian smokers. Australia, Brazil, Chile, Iran, and Singapore have also adopted warnings on their tobacco products.

In the United States, text-only warnings on cigarette packs have changed very little since 1984. If the FDA prevails, tobacco companies will have until October 2012 to include the approved warnings on all cigarette packages sold in the United States. When I heard the news report, my initial reaction was that smokers would simply place their cigarettes in stylish cases, thus obscuring the unwelcome images. That's exactly what happened in the European Union when the government introduced prominent black-bordered warning labels on cigarette packs in 2003. Cigarette case sales surged, and the invasive labels were effectively hidden from view. I did some research on cigarette cases and was very impressed with the selections. Even if you're not a smoker, many cigarette cases are as beautiful as jewelry, and perfectly suited for carrying business cards, credit cards, and cash.



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