Anti-smoking groups are urging the government to move forward with a plan to introduce larger and more graphic warning labels on cigarette packages.

An anti-smoking group says labels on cigarette packages that aren't updated over time are ignored until they 'virtually become invisible.' (CBC)

The Harper government has been holding focus groups and testing new warning labels for cigarette packages since it came to power in 2006.

That research wrapped up last year, and several non-smoking groups say it's time for new warnings to replace labels that haven't been updated in years.

But Ottawa said it needs more time to determine what impact the labels would have on smokers' habits.

Health Canada said in a written statement that it "continues to review available research, including international best practices on health warning messages."

Warnings become invisible, group says

"If warnings are not refreshed, they become stale and they virtually become invisible," said Garfield Mahood, a spokesman for the Non-Smokers' Rights Association.

New data released by Statistics Canada this week indicates the proportion of Canadians 15 years or older who smoke declined from 25 per cent in 1999 to 19 per cent in 2005.

But between 2005 and 2009, the decline was by just one percentage point.

Cynthia Callard is the executive director of Physicians for a Smoke Free Canada, one of 11 groups behind a letter sent to the federal Health Department in June, demanding Ottawa move ahead with new labels that feature more graphic photos and cover more of the cigarette package.

Callard, who expected Ottawa to move ahead with new labels earlier this year, said the warnings were also going to include an advertisement for a 1-800 number and a website to help people quit smoking.

"This is a very valuable service that's offered across Canada by the provincial governments, but the promotion of the service is very expensive."

Provinces run smoking cessation services already, but have limited money for ads. The new labels would have provided the information to all smokers.

Provinces supported new labels

Ida Chong, the minister for healthy living and sport for B.C., said it took some time, but all provinces supported new labels.

Provincial officials attended a meeting with the federal health officials in St. John's this month expecting to hear about changes, only to be told Ottawa was not moving ahead, Chong said.

"We were all there, ready to move it forward and, so that's why there was a bit of disappointment," she said.

The federal Health Department also said the "the impact and possible effectiveness of any new messages on the smoking behaviour of Canadians needs to be determined before new messages are considered."

With files from CBC's Susan Lunn