Graphic warnings on tobacco products start tomorrow

MANILA, Philippines – Starting tomorrow, all tobacco products being distributed and sold in the market must carry graphic health warnings (GHW).

Health Secretary Paulyn Ubial said Republic Act 10643 shall be fully implemented and that no tobacco packaging shall be put in the market without pictures depicting the ill effects of smoking on health.

“It is in the law so it should be implemented … Monitoring will be done by the DTI and BIR,” she said, referring to the Department of Trade and Industry and Bureau of Internal Revenue.

Under the law, all packaging for tobacco products shall contain not only a textual warning against smoking but pictures as well.

The DOH had come up with 12 templates of GHW that tobacco manufacturers should print on their product packaging.

The photographs should be placed in the lower 50 percent of both sides of the packages.

Ubial said GHW is intended to discourage people from smoking, as 10 Filipinos were estimated to die from smoking related diseases every hour.

This translates to 240 deaths daily or 87,600 every year.

Ubial said GHW would fortify the sin taxes being imposed on tobacco products to bring down  consumption of cigarettes.

The first phase of the law was implemented last March 3 by prohibiting tobacco companies from manufacturing or importing products without the GHW.