Cigarette packages showing graphic images that warn about the health effects of smoking have begun to appear in British stores, CNN reported Oct. 1.

Mandated by regulations introduced last year by the British government, the images replace the current written warnings that appear on cigarette packages. The U.K. Department of Health said that although the brief and blunt written warnings have been responsible for more than 90,000 calls to a stop-smoking helpline, the visual warnings may be even more effective.

The graphic images "emphasize the harsh health realities of continuing to smoke," said Liam Donaldson, the agency's chief medical officer, who added that the goal of the packaging change is to make smokers "think hard about giving up, and get the help they need to stop smoking for good."

The labeling requirements are part of an aggressive antismoking effort in the U.K. Smoking in enclosed public spaces was made illegal in 2007, and the National Health Service reports that 350,000 individuals quit smoking last year with support from local stop-smoking initiatives.