Geneva, 18 November 2025 – Alongside the 11th session of the Conference of Parties (COP11) to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), the Canadian Cancer Society (CCS) released its newest Cigarette Package Health Warnings report, which counts four ASEAN countries as part of continuing global progress for plain/standardized tobacco packaging and pictorial health warnings worldwide.
Four ASEAN countries require Standardized Tobacco Packaging
Thailand, Singapore, Myanmar were the first Asian countries to implement standardized packaging for tobacco products. Lao PDR was fourth but recently delayed the law’s implementation. More than ten months past the original compliance deadline, current compliance in Lao PDR applies only to some brands, while many manufacturers continue to ignore and violate the law, underscoring the urgent need for full and strict enforcement across all tobacco products.
“Lao PDR’s experience demonstrates that tobacco control policies are only effective when fully enforced,” says Dr. Ulysses Dorotheo, Executive Director of SEATCA. “Without zero tolerance for industry interference, progress will be slow and incomplete. Governments must ensure that all tobacco products comply with the law, not just a select few brands.”
Six ASEAN countries among largest Pictorial Health Warnings
The adoption of larger pictorial health warnings (PHW) on cigarette packages continues to expand globally with 140 countries and territories now requiring PHWs on cigarette packages, covering 66% of the world’s population.
Timor-Leste shares the top spot with Turkey by requiring the world’s largest PHWs, covering 85% of the front and 100% of the back of tobacco packages.
Five other ASEAN Member States rank among the top 25 countries globally with the largest PHWs. Thailand has the ninth-largest PHW size (85% front and back), followed by Brunei, Lao PDR, Myanmar, and Singapore that require a PHW size of 75%. Other ASEAN countries have smaller PHWs: Malaysia (65%), Cambodia (55%), Indonesia (50%), Philippines (50%), and Vietnam (50%). ASEAN is the only geopolitical region in the world where all Member States have implemented pictorial health warnings.
Health warnings on cigarette sticks
Canada and Australia are the world’s first countries to require health warnings printed directly on every individual cigarette, implemented in 2024 and 2025 respectively. The report highlights that cigarette package warnings are among the most cost-effective tools for raising awareness of smoking’s health risks and reducing tobacco use. Under WHO FCTC guidelines, warnings should be as large as possible, include rotating graphic images, and appear at the top of both the front and back of the pack.
“As governments gather at COP11 of the WHO FCTC, we hope that they return home with renewed commitment to evidence-based tobacco control policies. including implementing standardized packaging and large pictorial health warnings,” added Dorotheo. “People deserve to know the real dangers of tobacco, packs should inform and protect, not serve as mini billboards for industry lies and deception.”
About the Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance
SEATCA is a multi-sectoral non-governmental alliance promoting health and saving lives by assisting ASEAN countries to accelerate and effectively implement the tobacco control measures contained in the WHO FCTC. SEATCA is an accredited ASEAN entity and an official Observer to the WHO FCTC Conference of Parties. WHO bestowed on SEATCA the World No Tobacco Day Award in 2004 and the WHO Director-General’s Special Recognition Award in 2014.
For more information, please contact:
Ms. Cyresse Ann Achilleos, Media and Communications Officer, SEATCA
Email: cyresse@seatca.org
Mobile: +63 975 701 7130