Union Health Ministry releases pictorial health warnings

Bengaluru, 05 Apr 2018 [Fik/News Sources]: Replacing the existing images on tobacco products, the Union Health Ministry has now released a new set of pictorial health warnings that are to be displayed on both sides of packets of cigarettes, bidis, and chewing tobacco with effect from September 1, 2018.

The ministry has also for the first time introduced a ‘Quitline’ number - QUIT TODAY CALL 1800-11-2356 - to be printed on all tobacco products.

A notification in this regard was issued on April 3. As per the notification, two images of specified health warnings, as notified in the schedule, should be displayed on all tobacco product packages. “During the rotation period, there shall be two images of specified health warning, which shall appear consecutively on the package with an interregnum period of twelve months,” the notification has stated.

“For smoking and smokeless forms of tobacco products, the words TOBACCO CAUSES CANCER and the words TOBACCO CAUSES PAINFUL DEATH shall appear in white font on a red background, and the words QUIT TODAY CALL 1800-11-2356 shall appear in white font on a black background,” the notification said. From April 2016, the Health Ministry has implemented the rule of large pictorial health warnings occupying 85% of the space on both sides of all packages of cigarettes, bidis and all forms of chewing tobacco products, and has been in effect for almost two years.