The Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry has 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 vide GSR 592 (E) dated July 21, 2022 “The Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products (Packaging and Labelling) Third Amendment Rules, 2022”. The amended Rules will be applicable with effect from December 1, 2022.
According to the Health Ministry, the new set of specified health warnings shall be-
Image-1 will be valid for 12 months following its commencement from December 1, 2022.
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(b) Image-2, which shall come into effect following the end of twelve months from the date of commencement of specified health warning of Image-1.
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Image - 2 |
The said notification alongwith the soft or printable version of the specified health warnings in 19 languages are available on the websites www.mohfw.gov.in and ntcp.nhp.gov.in
In view of the above, it is informed that;
All tobacco products manufactured or imported or packaged on or after December 1, 2022 shall display Image -1 with the textual Health Warning as ‘TOBACCO CAUSES PAINFUL DEATH’ and those manufactured or imported or packaged on or after December 1, 2023 shall display Image-2 with the textual Health Warning ‘TOBACCO USERS DIE YOUNGER’.
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 existing specified health warning (Image-2) – notified vide GSR 458(E) dated July 21, 2020, shall continue till November 30, 2022, the ministry stated.
