India ranked third for largest cigarette warnings

India is third among countries with the largest pictorial warning on tobacco products, according to a report released. The report said that India has moved to the third position out of 205 countries 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 Cigarette Package Health Warnings International Status Report was released today by Canadian Cancer Society at the 7th session of the Conference of the Parties to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), being held at Greater Noida. The report 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.
The report shows a significant global momentum towards plain packaging with 4 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.

While inaugurating the COP7, Union Health Minister J P Nadda had said that 2016 has been a landmark year for tobacco control activities in 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," he had said. PTI TDS
 

An Assam based NGO welcomed India becoming third among 205 countries with the largest pictorial warning on tobacco products. The Voluntary Health Association of Assam (VHAA) said it was a giant leap from its earlier ranking of 136 in 2014 and 123 in 2012. Nepal has the largest warning requirements in the world at 90 per cent of the package front and back while India and Thailand are tied for third, with 85 per cent pictorial warnings.
VHAA Executive Secretary Ruchira Neog said, "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 sent a strong message to the global community about India's commitment in reducing tobacco use and the sickness and poverty it causes."

"Cigarette package warnings are a highly cost-effective way to increase awareness of the negative health effects of smoking and to reduce tobacco use. Picture-based warnings convey a more powerful message than a text-only warning, and larger ones increase impact", she said. Picture warnings are especially valuable for low and middle-income countries where there are higher rates of illiteracy and where governments may have few resources, the executive said.