सिंहदरबार संवाददाता
Kathmandu. The Ministry of Health and Population has approved the ‘Directive 2081 on Printing and Marking Warning Messages and Pictures on Tobacco Product Packages, Packets, Wrappers, Boxes and Parcels, Packaging’.
The ministry has approved the directive and stated that tobacco products without warning messages and dangerous colored pictures will not be manufactured or sold.
Approving the directive, Minister for Health and Population Pradeep Poudel said that the rule to print 100% dangerous pictures on tobacco product packages has come into effect from Bhadra 1, emphasizing the need for coordination among all to ensure compliance with the rule. The guidelines will come into effect on the 180th day from the date of approval.
Previously, there was a provision to print warning messages on 90 percent of the sections. As various studies have shown that such warning messages increase the number of people quitting tobacco and cigarettes in some countries, ministry spokesperson Dr. Prakash Budhathoki said that arrangements have been made to print 100 percent warning messages and pictures in Nepal as well.
He said that since such warnings are working in Nepal, the revised guidelines are expected to reduce tobacco and cigarette users and reduce cancer and other deadly diseases. According to him, if we look at Nepal’s statistics, 37,000 people die annually due to tobacco consumption.
The guideline states that the deadly, colorful pictures of the effects of tobacco consumption should be printed and marked in Nepali in a way that is clearly understandable and visible.
The deadly colorful pictures and warning messages should be printed and marked on the inner and outer boxes, packets, wrappers, boxes, parcels and packaging of tobacco products such as cigarettes, bidis, khaini, snuff and gutkha.
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