“Nepal has set a global benchmark by adopting 100% pictorial health warnings on tobacco packaging. This policy is a powerful tool to prevent smoking among youth and children, encourage tobacco users to quit, and raise public awareness about the dangers of tobacco use. It is a highly cost-effective intervention that not only saves lives and reduces healthcare costs but also helps to de-normalise tobacco in our communities. This remarkable achievement is a testament to the strong political commitment and timely actions of the Ministry of Health and Population, Nepal,” said Dr Tara Singh Bam, Asia Pacific Director (Tobacco Control) Vital Strategies.

The Ministry of Health and Population of the Government of Nepal has amended the 2014 Directive on Printing Warning Messages and Pictures on Boxes, Packets, Wrappers, Cartons, Parcels, and Packaging Materials of Tobacco Products. The new guidelines increase the size of pictorial health warnings from 90% to 100% and require clear, visible warnings with colourful images on the harmful effects of tobacco use on the entire outer surface (front and back) of the package in Nepali language, to come into effect on 17 August 2025.

According to the ‘Cigarette Package Health Warnings: International Status Report’ published by the Canadian Cancer Society in October 2023, Nepal was then ranked 4th in the world in terms of the size of pictorial health warnings. Timor-Leste had the largest pictorial warnings at the time, with 85% on the front of the pack and 100% on the back of the pack with the warnings. Turkey also had the same size of warnings as Timor-Leste. The Maldives, Vanuatu and Benin had a similar policy to Nepal at the time.