Coming soon! New health warnings on tobacco products packs - What you should see and know

In a major development, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India 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 248(E) dated 13th April 2020 “The Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products (Packaging and Labelling) Amendment Rules, 2020”. The amended Rules will be applicable w.e.f. 1st September 2020.

The new set of specified health warnings are-

a) Image-1, shall be valid for a period of twelve months following its commencement from 1st September, 2020.

(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.

The said notification along with the soft or printable version of the specified health warnings in 19 languages are available on the websites www.mohfw.gov.in and www.ntcp.nhp.gov.in

According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, "In view of the above, it is informed that;

All tobacco products manufactured or imported or packaged on or after 1st September, 2020 shall display Image -1 and those manufactured or imported or packaged on or after 1st September, 2021 shall display Image-2.

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 definition of “package” has been amended to be in conformity with the Act and the Rules made thereunder."