NEW DELHI: All tobacco products manufactured, imported, or packaged before December 1 must display a new image with the textual health warning “tobacco causes painful death”, the Union Health Ministry said on Friday.
The ministry said that the government had notified new sets of specified health warnings for all tobacco product packs by amending the Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products (Packaging and Labelling) Rules, 2008 on July 21, 2022, which will be applicable from December 1, 2022.
The ministry released two images both displaying a man with substantial cancerous growth on his mouth due to tobacco use and two textual warnings.
While the first one, which will be displayed from December 1, 2022, will have the warning ‘Tobacco causes a painful death. This will be valid for one year.
The second image and warning tobacco users due younger will be displayed in all tobacco products manufactured, imported, or packaged on or after December 1, 2023.
“Any person engaged directly or indirectly in the manufacture, production, supply, import or distribution of cigarettes or any tobacco products shall ensure that all tobacco product packages shall have the specified health warnings exactly as prescribed,” the health ministry said in a statement.
Violation of the guidelines is a punishable offence with imprisonment or fine.
Death warnings to users
Tobacco products manufactured, imported, or packaged on or after Dec 1, 2022 will display a new image with the textual health warning “Tobacco causes painful death”.
The image will be valid for a period of one year following its commencement from December 1.
Tobacco products manufactured, imported, or packaged on or after December 1, 2023 will display an image with textual health warning “tobacco users die younger”.
New health warnings have been incorporated through an amendment in the Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products (Packaging and Labelling) Rules, 2008.