Govt notifies new enhanced pictorial health warnings for tobacco products

Tribune News Service
New Delhi, July 23

The Ministry of Health on Thursday notified new sets of specified health warnings for all tobacco product packs by making an amendment in the Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products (Packaging and Labelling) Rules, 2008.

The amended rules will be applicable from December 1, 2020 and will be in force till 12 months thereafter.

The Union Health Ministry on Thursday notified new sets of specified health warnings with enhanced pictorial images to be printed on all tobacco products.

The Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products (Packaging and Labelling) Third Amendment Rules, 2020 will come into effect from December 1.

It amends the Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products (Packaging and Labelling) Rules, 2008.

All tobacco products manufactured or imported or packaged on or after December 1, 2020 shall display the first set of images, while the second set of images will be displayed by the tobacco products manufactured or imported or packaged on or after December 1, 2021, the Health Ministry said in a statement.

“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.

“Violation of the above mentioned provision is a punishable offence with imprisonment or fine as prescribed in Section 20 of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act, 2003,” the Health ministry said in its statement. With PTI