In a landmark move to strengthen tobacco control, the Ministry of Health and Population of Nepal passed a new directive to increase the size of health warnings on tobacco packing from 90% to 100%. This makes Nepal the first country in the world to mandate full-coverage health warnings on tobacco packaging.
Pictorial health warnings are proven to be one of the most effective and low-cost measures to alert the public about the dangers of tobacco use. The new requirements, set to take effect in August, aim to further discourage tobacco use by ensuring all tobacco product packaging features clear and prominent warning messages with vivid images depicting the harmful effects of tobacco consumption.
The directive, an amendment of the 2014 Directive on Printing Warning Messages and Pictures on Boxes, Packets, Wrappers, Cartons, Parcels, and Packaging Materials of Tobacco Products, outlines specific requirements for different types of tobacco products:
- Cigarettes:
- 80% of the principal display area (front and back) must contain pictorial health warnings.
- 20% of the principal display area (front and back) must contain text warnings at the top of the pack.
- Manufacturers must rotate five different graphic warning images in equal distribution across cigarette packaging.
- Chewing Tobacco (Khaini, Gutkha):
- 60% of the principal display area (front and back) must contain pictorial health warnings.
- 20% of the principal display area (front and back) must contain text warnings at the top.
- 20% of the principal display area (front and back) must contain text warnings at the bottom.
- Manufacturers must rotate two different graphic warning images in equal distribution.
- Bidi:
- 80% of the principal display area (front and back) must contain pictorial health warnings.
- 20% of the principal display area (front and back) must contain text warnings at the top.
- Manufacturers must rotate two different graphic warning images in equal distribution.
The new provision also mandates that the background color of all packaging, including warning messages and images, be Pantone 448 C (a drab dark brown) — which has been identified as one of the least appealing colors to consumers and is used on cigarette packs in Australia, the U.K., France and other countries. Brand names will only appear at the bottom of the packs and not on the front or back. “Nepal has set a global benchmark by adopting 100% health warnings on tobacco packaging,” said Dr. Tara Singh Bam, Director of Tobacco Control at Vital Strategies’ Asia Pacific office, in Singapore. “This policy is a powerful tool to prevent smoking among youth, encourage tobacco users to quit, and emphasize the dangers of tobacco use. It is a highly cost-effective intervention that not only saves lives and reduces health care costs but also helps to denormalize tobacco in communities. This remarkable achievement is a testament to the strong political commitment and timely actions of Nepal’s Ministry of Health and Population.”
A Step Forward for Global Tobacco Control
By implementing 100% coverage on all tobacco product packaging, Nepal is taking a decisive step toward protecting public health and reducing tobacco consumption. This move aligns with the country’s commitment to the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and serves as a model for other nations seeking to strengthen their tobacco control policies.
Vital Strategies is proud to support Nepal in this milestone achievement and remains committed to working alongside governments to advance evidence-based policies that protect people from the harmful effects of tobacco.
For more information, please refer to this summary.
To learn more about Vital Strategies’ efforts to strengthen and enforce tobacco control, please visit the Tobacco Control Policy Implementation Hub.