By India Today World Desk: Canada is about to make historical past by changing into the primary nation ever to slap well being warnings on particular person cigarettes. The announcement was made by the nation’s minister for psychological well being and addictions, Carolyn Bennett, on World No Tobacco Day.
The new guidelines are a part of Canada’s plan to assist people who smoke stop, shield kids and non-smokers from getting hooked on nicotine, and make tobacco much less interesting. Under the brand new guidelines, the well being warnings will probably be printed on the outermost paper of the filters of particular person cigarettes, little cigars, tubes, and different tobacco merchandise, making it just about unattainable to overlook these warnings.
The warning labels that will probably be printed on particular person cigarettes embody phrases comparable to: “Cigarettes cause cancer” and “Poison in every puff”.
These guidelines will kick in on August 1, 2023, and will probably be rolled out in levels over the yr. By the tip of April 2024, retailers in Canada will probably be promoting tobacco merchandise with packages that carry the brand new well being messages. King-sized cigarettes would be the first to hold the person well being warnings and can hit the cabinets in Canada by the tip of July 2024. Regular-sized cigarettes, little cigars with tipping paper, and tubes will observe go well with by the tip of April 2025.
The new guidelines may even beef up and refresh health-related messages on tobacco product packages, require all tobacco product packages to hold health-related messages, and rotate these messages periodically.
“Tobacco use is responsible for 48,000 deaths in Canada each year. We’re taking action by being the first country in the world to put health warning messages on individual cigarettes. This bold move will make these health warnings hard to ignore. Along with updated graphic images on the package, they will serve as a stark reminder of the health risks of smoking,” mentioned Carolyn Bennett, the Canadian minister who made the announcement, mentioned whereas unveiling the brand new guidelines.