Cigarette package warnings

	General Messages by Mr. Rob Cunningham
Go to other forums  | Rate this article  | Reply to author  | Reply to all
The fifth anniversary of the coming into force of the FCTC will take place on Feb. 27, 2010.  For package warnings, the FCTC has been a pivotal factor in helping to spur improvements worldwide.  When the FCTC was approved in May 2003, only 2 countries (Canada, Brazil) had required picture warnings, and by the end of 2005 only three more (Singapore, Thailand, Venezuela) had picture warnings required to appear on packages. Now, at least 35 countries/jurisdictions have finalized laws to require picture-based health warnings for cigarette packages. In some of these cases, although the law/regulation/decree has received final adoption, a transition period has not yet been completed. These 35 countries/jurisdictions are listed in the attached (2 page) Word and pdf documents, and are also listed in the body of this email. Also included are rankings of the countries with the largest-sized health warnings, in terms of the package front, and in terms of an average of the front and back. The largest size is in Uruguay where warnings cover 80% of the package front and back./.../