Background
: Many countries have been legally prescribing health warning messages on cigarette packages as a part of their national policy of smoking cessation. This study was designed to evaluate the effectiveness for smoking cessation of graphic health warning labels, and compare them with the existing health warning messages.

Methods : From February to December 2002, we surveyed 103 smokers who were college students of fine arts. After letfing them see the graphic health warning labels, the self recorded questionnaires were collected.

Results : The effectiveness for the smoking cessation of the existing health warning messages was evaluated low, despite its wide recognition. But there was no difference between the visual effect and the effectiveness for the smoking cessation of the graphic health warning labels. The graphic health warning labels were more effective for the smoking cessation than the existing health warning messages, and it was the same in the subgroup analysis such as sex, degree of recognition of disease, and non- smoking planning.

Conclusion : To quit smoking, it is reasonably concluded that the graphic health warning labels on cigarette packages was very effective. Hereafter, it is recommended more useful designs of graphic health warning labels be developed.