Last updated: July 29, 2023

Health Warnings/Messages Features

Type of product: Smoked Tobacco Products
Type of Warnings / Messages Required
Pictures (Photos), Text Warnings/Messages
Location and Size of Warnings / Messages on Unit Packaging
90% of Front, 90% of Back
Rotation
Uncertain
Number of Warnings / Messages Authorized to Be Displayed at Any Given Time
13
Length of Rotation Period
Uncertain
Analysis

Every tobacco product package must carry one of 13 combined picture/text warnings, covering not less than 90% of each principal display area (front and back), allocating 70% of the display area for the pictorial warning and 20% of the display area for the text warning. The text must be black on a white background or white on a black background. The law does not specify how long each combined picture/text warning must be in rotation or whether the 13 warnings must be evenly distributed among a brand’s tobacco product packages. The following statement on emissions and constituents must appear on the right side panel: “Tobacco smoke contains over 70 substances known to cause cancer.”

The law meets FCTC Art. 11 and aligns with the FCTC Art. 11 Guidelines with respect to content, size and location of health warnings on packages on smoked tobacco products. However, to more fully comply with FCTC Art. 11 and the FCTC Art. 11 Guidelines, regulations should be issued that specify rotation requirements.

Type of product: Smokeless Tobacco Products
Type of Warnings / Messages Required
Pictures (Photos), Text Warnings/Messages
Location and Size of Warnings / Messages on Unit Packaging
90% of Front, 90% of Back
Rotation
Uncertain
Number of Warnings / Messages Authorized to Be Displayed at Any Given Time
4
Length of Rotation Period
Uncertain
Analysis

Every tobacco product package must carry one of 4 combined picture/text warnings, covering not less than 90% of each principal display area (front and back), allocating 70% of the display area for the pictorial warning and 20% of the display area for the text warning. The text must be black on a white background or white on a black background. The law does not specify how long each combined picture/text warning must be in rotation or whether the 4 warnings must be evenly distributed among a brand’s tobacco product packages.

The law meets FCTC Art. 11 and aligns with the FCTC Art. 11 Guidelines with respect to content, size, and location of health warnings on packages on smoked tobacco products. However, to more fully comply with FCTC Art. 11 and the FCTC Art. 11 Guidelines, regulations should be issued that specify rotation requirements.