International Resource Center

Thailand has adopted new regulations aimed at warning consumers of the dangers of smoking cigarettes.

The regulations include new and larger graphic warning labels on cigarette packs and revisions of existing warnings.

Notice of the new graphic warning law appeared on Sept. 30, 2009, in the Royal Gazette, an official Thai government publication.

The new requirements take effect in March 2010, allowing time for products containing the old warnings to be phased out.

The previous warnings, originally adopted in 2005, were scheduled to phase out over the next three months but industry lobbying prevented the shorter time-frame.

The new graphic warning regulations include the following elements:

• Three new pictures are mandated in addition to the seven already in use.
• The size of the pictures on both principle pack surfaces is 55 percent of the surface.
• The warnings include the national quit line telephone number.
• Each carton is required to include all 10 pictures.
• Each carton must contain packs with at least two different graphic warnings.

The new warnings are intended to raise awareness of smoking's effect on specific organs and parts of the body. Among the new images are photos of gangrenous feet accompanied by the message "smoking causes rotten feet."

Toxins in cigarette smoke can restrict blood supply which can cause gangrene, typically in the feet, noted Deputy Public Health Minister Manit Nopamornbodee in comments to the Bangkok Post.