NEW DELHI: According to a new report by the Canadian Cancer Society, India is third among countries with the largest pictorial warning on tobacco products.
In the new Cigarette Package Health Warnings International Status Report, that ranks 205 countries and territories on the size of their health warnings on cigarette packages and lists countries and territories that require graphic picture warnings, India has moved to the third position from its earlier ranking of 136 in 2014 and 123 in 2012.
"Nepal now has the largest warning requirements in the world at 90 per cent of the package front and back. Vanuatu will implement 90 per cent pictorial warnings in 2017.
"India and Thailand are tied for third, requiring 85 per cent pictorial warnings. In the 2014 report, Thailand was top ranked at 85 per cent," the report said.
The report shows a significant global momentum towards plain packaging with four countries requiring plain packs and 14 working on it.
The report also shows that 105 countries and territories have required picture health warnings on cigarette packages.
"By implementing 85 per cent pictorial health warnings front and back on all tobacco packages, Indian Government has set up an example for making India a global leader and sending a strong message to the global community about India's commitment to reducing tobacco use and the sickness and poverty it causes", said Bhavna B Mukhopadhyay, chief executive, Voluntary Health Association of India.
"We have successfully implemented, from April 2016, the large pictorial health warnings occupying 85 per cent of the principal display area of tobacco packs and on all forms of
tobacco," union health minister J P Nadda said.
In May 2016, the Supreme Court had directed that tobacco packs would have to adhere to the 85% pictorial warning norm as a public health requirement.