Why in News?

• The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on August 20, 2018 notified new sets of specified health warnings for all tobacco product packs.
• The new set of health warnings was notified through an amendment in the Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products (Packaging and Labelling) Rules, 2008.

Specified health warnings:

• The government released two separate set of images. The first set will be used on tobacco products for a period of 12 months, beginning from September 1, 2018.
• All tobacco products manufactured or imported or packaged on or after September 1, 2018 shall display first set of image and those manufactured or imported or packaged on or after September 1, 2019 shall display second set of image.
• Any person engaged directly or indirectly in the production, supply, import or distribution of cigarettes or any tobacco products shall ensure that all tobacco product packages have the specified health warnings exactly as prescribed.
• Violation of any provision is a punishable offence with imprisonment or fine as prescribed in Section 20 of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act, 2003.

Violation is Punishable offense:

• Any person engaged directly or indirectly in the production, supply, import or distribution of cigarettes or any tobacco products shall ensure.
• That all tobacco product packages shall have the specified health warnings exactly as prescribed.
• Violation of the above-mentioned provision is a punishable offence with imprisonment or fine as prescribed in Section 20 of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act, 2003.