Nepal goes for 90 percent pack warnings

The government of Nepal decided on Thursday to make it mandatory for tobacco companies to devote ‘at least 90 percent’ of their packs to health warnings, according to a story in The Kathmandu Post.

It wasn’t clear from the report whether the warnings will have to cover 90 percent of the front, 90 percent of the front and back, or 90 percent of the whole pack.

At present, health warnings take up 75 percent of the front and back surfaces.

A group of tobacco companies challenged the May 2011 legislation that brought in the 75 percent warnings, but that challenge was quashed by the Supreme Court in December 2013.

The challenge was made on the grounds that 75 percent far exceeded the requirements in neighboring countries.

In opting for 90 percent, Nepal has once again moved ahead of countries such as India and Thailand, where the requirement is for warnings to cover 85 percent of packs.

According to the Ministry of Health and Population, 70 percent of the new warnings will include pictures, while 20 percent will be taken up with statutory warnings in Nepali.