Whole area on tobacco boxes, packets and wrappers to contain shocking pictures, warning

Kathmandu, May 19: The boxes, packets and wrappers of tobacco products to be supplied in the Nepali market shall contain a pictorial health warning and warning messages in 100 percent of principal area (front and back sides) from coming August 17.

The Ministry of Health and Population has endorsed the Directive for Printing and Labelling of Warning Messages and Pictures on the Boxes, Packets, Wrappers, Cartons, Parcels and Packaging of Tobacco Product, 2025. The Directive shall come into force from Bhadra 1, 2082 BS (August 17).

The manufacturer should print or mark understandable and visible warning messages like “consumption of tobacco product is injurious to health” in Nepali Language and also fatal colour picture showing health hazards of consuming tobacco products on the outer part of the boxes, packets, wrappers, cartons, parcels and packaging of tobacco products.

Fatal colour pictures and warning messages should be printed on the inside as well as outside of boxes, packets, wrappers, cartons, parcels and packaging materials of cigarette, Bidi, chewing tobacco, tobacco, and Gutkha etc. The Directive requires manufacturer to print and mark fatal colour picture and warning messages on cigarette boxes, packets and wrappers covering 100 percent of principal area.  Prior to this, the required are for printing and marking the fatal color picture and warning messages was 90 percent.

Under Secretary Gopi Krishna Regmi at the Ministry and member secretary at the Secretariat of Health Tax Fund, Kathmandu said they are preparing for switching to the plain packaging by amending the Tobacco Products (Control and Regulatory) Act 2068 BS (2011).

The concept for plain packaging prevents the manufacturer from branding the products and there will be homogeneity in the labeling of packages, he said.