Graphic health warnings on tobacco cigarette packaging play a highly effective role in tobacco control, stated Tara Singh Bam, Director of South Asia and the Asia Pacific of Vital Strategies. Highlighting Nepal’s experience, he noted the significant impact of graphic health warnings. When asked about the effectiveness of these warnings, Nepalese retail shop owners reported that many customers are discouraged from purchasing cigarettes after seeing the warnings on the packaging. Citing research findings, Tara Singh Bam emphasized that periodically rotating the pictorial health warnings increases their effectiveness.
He made these remarks on Thursday (December 12, 2024) during the South Asia Tobacco Control Leadership Program in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The event, which began on December 9, will continue until December 13. The five-day program is organized by the Institute of Global Tobacco Control of Johns Hopkins University.
In the opening program on the 2nd session of the 4th day, Mr. Tara Singh Bam said, Nepal is planning to package with the 100% pictorial health both sides of the cigarette packet. Currently, Nepal has been implementing 90% of cigarette packets holding the 2nd position after Timor-Leste with 92.5% of graphical health warnings. 3rd position of Maldives with 90%, India 85%, Sri Lanka 80%, Myanmar 75%, Pakistan 60%, where Bangladesh has 50% of graphical health warnings in cigarettes.
He also said, rotation should be one of the key things; like in many countries, they have the same content, and they rotate the GHW every six months. Some countries are in a year.
