Rob provides us (as usual) with the latest information. I noticed the opening of a new site called the Tobacco Labelling Resource Centre (too bad it is not in a blog format as it would be much easier to navigate and keep informed about).
Picture health warnings required by 23 countries/jurisdictions
These countries/jurisdictions are listed in the attached (2 page) Word and pdf documents, and are also listed in the body.notuse of this email. Also included are rankings of the countries with the largest-sized health warnings, in terms of the package front, and in terms of an average of the front and back. The largest size required on the front is 50%, required by 12 countries/jurisdictions. The largest size as an average of the front and back is 60%, in Australia and New Zealand.
Several countries are now on their second or third round of picture warnings (as indicated below and in the attachments).
Many, many other countries are in the process of implementing larger, picture-based warnings. Progress worldwide is accelerating, and is very encouraging.
Three helpful websites with information on picture-based package warnings, including showing the images required by different countries, are as follows:
Tobacco Labelling Resource Centre:
http://www.igloo.org/tobacco_labelling
Physicians for a Smoke-free Canada:
www.smoke-free.ca/warnings
Campaign for Effective Health Warnings on Cigarette Packs
www.graphicwarnings.org
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Cigarette Package Warning Size and Use of Pictures: International Summary
Rob Cunningham,
Canadian Cancer Society
September 23, 2008
Picture warnings
At least 23 jurisdictions have finalized requirements for picture warnings. The listing below includes the year of implementation, including different years where there have been two or more rounds of picture warnings.
- Canada (2001)
- Brazil (2002; 2004; 2009)
- Singapore (2004; 2006)
- Thailand (2005, 2007)
- Venezuela (2005)
- Jordan (2005)
- Australia (2006; rotation of Sets A, B every 12 months)
- Uruguay (2006; 2008, 2009)
- Panama (2006)
- Belgium (2006)
- Chile (2006, 2007, 2008)
- Hong Kong (2007)
- New Zealand (2008; rotation of Sets A, B every 12 months)
- Romania (2008)
- United Kingdom (2008)
- Egypt (2008)
- Brunei (2008)
- India (2008)
- Taiwan (2009)
- Malaysia (2009)
- Peru (2009)
- Djibouti (2009)
- Switzerland (2010, rotation of Sets 1, 2, 3 every 24 months)
Many other countries/jurisdictions are in the process of doing so, or have stated that picture warnings are under consideration, including France, Iceland, Iran, Ireland, Latvia, Macao, Mongolia, Norway, Pakistan, Philippines, Portugal, Slovakia, South Africa, South Korea, the Gulf Cooperation Council (the GCC includes Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and potentially Yemen), and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM, which includes Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Saint Lucia, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago).
Ranking of Countries for Largest Sized Cigarette Package Warnings
Size - Front of Package
50% Brunei
50% Canada
50% Chile
50% Djibouti
50% Egypt
50% Hong Kong
50% Madagascar
50% Singapore
50% Thailand
50% Uruguay
50% Bolivia
50% Cameroon
48% Belgium
48% Switzerland
45% Finland
Size - Average of Front and Back
60% Australia (30% of front; 90% of back)
60% New Zealand (30% of front; 90% of back)
56% Belgium (48% of front, 63% of back, including border)
56% Switzerland (48% of front, 63% of back, including border)
52% Finland (45% of front and 58% of back, including border)
50% Brunei (50% of front and back)
50% Canada (50% of front and back)
50% Chile (50% of front and back)
50% Djibouti (50% of front and back)
50% Egypt (50% of front and back)
50% Hong Kong (50% of front and back)
50% Singapore (50% of front and back)
50% Thailand (50% of front and back)
50% Uruguay (50% of front and back)
50% Bolivia (50% of front and back)
50% Cameroon (50% of front and back)
50% Madagascar (50% of front and back)
50% Malaysia (40% of front, 60% of back)
50% Brazil (100% of either front or back)
50% Panama (100% of either front or back) (pending change to 50% of front and back)
50% Venezuela (100% of either front or back)
48% unilingual EC countries (e.g. United Kingdom) that have properly implemented the
EC Directive (43% of front, 53% of back, including border)
48% Norway (43% of front, 53% of back, including border)
48% Iceland (43% of front, 53% of back, including border)
48% Turkey (43% of front, 53% of back, including border)
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