The Union government, on Monday, 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 with effect from December 1 this year.
“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 592 (E) dated 21st July, 2022 ‘The Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products (Packaging and Labelling) Third Amendment Rules, 2022’. The amended Rules will be applicable w.e.f. 1st December, 2022,” the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said in a statement.
All tobacco products, manufactured or imported or packaged, on or after December 1 will display the images provided by the government with the textual health warning as ‘TOBACCO CAUSES PAINFUL DEATH’ and those manufactured or imported or packaged on or after December 1, 2023, will display images 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 will ensure that all tobacco product packages will have the specified health warnings exactly as prescribed. Violation of the above-mentioned provision is an offence punishable 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 statement said.
“The existing specified health warning, as per the government data. – notified vide GSR 458(E) dated July 21, 2020, will continue till November 30, 2022,” the statement added.