Canada's minister of health has announced a new plan to try to discourage teenagers from smoking: The Yuck Factor . The government wants to put graphic pictures and warnings on all cigarette packages. Allan Rock said yesterday that he's convinced the labels will work. But many of the young smokers he's targeting aren't so sure. The warnings cover half of each side of a cigarette package . There are 16 messages and images, including pictures of diseased lungs.

Teenage smokers at a high school in Ottawa say some of the warnings are funny, but others, like an image showing a mouth full of rotting teeth, are disturbing and may make them think twice.

"I have to say this one with the teeth is quite disgusting. And I'm sure it will discourage a few smokers from starting up anyway," said one of the teens.

But a 17-year-old smoker said he knows all about the dangers of his habit and new warnings won't make him quit.

"If you smoke, you know what's going to happen to you. Just seeing it a warning label is going to gross you out every time you take a cigarette. It's not really going to stop you."

But Rock believes the warnings will make a difference. He says his department has done extensive surveys and he thinks the labels will be effective.

"Our testing, our focus groups and our surveys demonstrated that the old style warnings are losing their force. It's important for us now to take fresh steps and that's what we're doing today."

Anti-smoking organizations have applauded the strategy . The Non-Smokers Rights Association says the labels will give people a graphic reminder of the harmful effects of smoking a cigarette.

But the plan has a very powerful enemy . The tobacco industry is considering whether it should take the government to court.

The Canadian Tobacco Manufacturers Association, which represents tobacco companies, says it would take two years and cost millions of dollars to change the packaging on Canadian cigarettes. Spokesman Rob Parker is convinced the warnings won't work.

"They're still doing the same old thing, yelling even louder at smokers to quit or non-smokers not to start. It hasn't worked," says Mr. Parker.

The minister says he hopes to have the new cigarette packages on store shelves by the end of the year. He says tobacco companies that don't comply won't be selling their product in Canada.

1. Whom or what has Canada's minister of health announced?