Canada’s new 75% picture warnings have started appearing on store shelves for some brands of cigarettes.
To see scanned images of actual packs with new warnings, as well as interior messages, and toxic emission messages on the side panel, visit:
http://www.smoke-free.ca/
This web page also shows some comparisons of old packs with 50% size versus new packs with the 75% size. The increased size really does make a difference.
The implementation deadline at the manufacturer/importer level is March 21, 2012, while the deadline at the retailer level is June 19, 2012. Many stores still do not yet have any packs with the new warnings.
Under the new Canadian regulations, for packages of cigarettes and little cigars, the following is required
– a series of 16 picture-based warnings covering 75% of the front and back of the package (English on one side, French on the other).
– a series of 8 picture-based bilingual messages on the inside of the package, either on the slide of slide and shell packages, or on an insert (for inserts, the message is on English on one side and French on the other)
– a series of 4 text-only bilingual descriptive toxic emission statements on the side of the package (without any machine-based yield numbers)