International Resource Center

As of February 1, 2010, Pakistan will take a significant step in reducing the toll of tobacco use by requiring that all cigarette packages and labels contain graphic health warnings that cover 40 percent of the front and back of the packages and labels.

It is expected that the required size of the pictorial health warning labels will be increased to 50 percent next year.

The decision to require graphic health warnings was announced by the Mister of Health on World No Tobacco Day, May 31, 2009.

Pakistan is the fifth country in the Eastern Mediterranean region to require pictorial health warnings on cigarette packages, joining Jordan, Egypt, Iran and Djibouti.

Large pictorial health warning labels on tobacco packages are an essential component of a national strategy to reduce tobacco use.

Scientific studies have found that prominent health warnings lead to greater awareness of health risks of tobacco use and an increased desire to quit.

Studies have also found that warning labels are most effective at communicating the health risks of tobacco use when they contain both pictures and words and are large and in color.

By requiring graphic health warning labels, Pakistan has made a commitment to saving the lives of its citizens and reducing the devastating toll of tobacco use.