Mali

The law requires each pack, carton or other form of packaging of tobacco products to include statements of health warnings. Therefore, a warning is required on all unit packaging and labeling. The law meets FCTC Art. 11 with respect to unit packaging and labeling.

The law requires each pack, carton or other form of packaging of tobacco products to include statements of health warnings. Therefore, a warning is required on all outside packaging and labeling. The law meets FCTC Art. 11 with respect to outside packaging and labeling.

The law requires that health warnings appear in French. Therefore, the law meets FCTC Art. 11 with respect to warning text being in the principal language of the country.

The law does not contain an affirmative requirement that warnings/messages may not be placed where they may be permanently damaged or concealed when opening the pack. To align with FCTC Art. 11 and the FCTC Art. 11 Guidelines, the law should explicitly state that warnings or messages may not be placed where they may be permanently damaged or concealed when opening the pack.

The law does not specifically state that tax stamps or other required markings may not be placed where they may conceal health warnings or messages.

To align with FCTC Art. 11 and the FCTC Art. 11 Guidelines, the law should state that that tax stamps or other required markings may not be placed where they may conceal health warnings or messages.

The law does require qualitative constituents and emissions messages.

To align with FCTC Art. 11 and the FCTC Art. 11 Guidelines, the law should require qualitative constituents and emissions messages on all tobacco products.

The law does not prohibit the display of figures for emission yields. To the contrary, the law requires the display of quantitative figures for some ingredients and emissions (e.g., tar, nicotine, and carbon monoxide). A decree requires that these figures must be displayed on one of the lateral surface and must be printed horizontally and cover at least 10% of the respective surface.

The law and the decree do not align with FCTC Art. 11 and the FCTC Art. 11 Guidelines. FCTC Art. 11 Guidelines para. 34 states: “Parties should not require quantitative or qualitative statements on tobacco product packaging and labeling about tobacco constituents and emissions that might imply that one brand is less harmful than another, such as the tar, nicotine and carbon monoxide figures. . . .” To align with FCTC Art. 11 and the FCTC Art. 11 Guidelines, the law should prohibit the display of figures for emission yields.

Plain packaging of tobacco products is not required in Mali. The FCTC Art. 11 Guidelines provide that Parties should consider adopting plain packaging measures that restrict or prohibit the use of logos, colors, brand images or other promotional information on packaging other than brand and product names displayed in a standard color and font style. Plain packaging aims to reduce the appeal of tobacco products, to increase the notice ability of health warnings, and to reduce the ability of the packaging of tobacco products to mislead consumers about the harmful effects of smoking.

The law prohibits any term or descriptor that could give rise to an erroneous impression concerning its effects on health on any tobacco product. The law is narrower than the FCTC Art. 11 requirements in that it only prohibits terms or descriptors instead of any figure, trademark, logo or any other sign including colors that may directly or indirectly create false impression that a tobacco product is less harmful than other tobacco products. Therefore, the regulatory status “Some Restrictions” is given.

To fully meet FCTC Art. 11, the law or decree should prohibit any means of misleading packaging and labeling including trademarks, figurative or any other sign that directly or indirectly create false impression that a tobacco product is less harmful than other tobacco products.