Vanuatu to embrace graphic warnings

The South Pacific nation of Vanuatu is moving towards the implementation of regulations requiring graphic health warnings to be included on cigarette packs, according to a Radio New Zealand story.

Currently, licit cigarette packs have to carry, in English, French and Bislama, textural warnings stating that smoking kills.

A public health official at the Ministry of Health, Jean Jacques Rory, was quoted as saying that the required images would be made public on World Tobacco Day at the end of May.

The story said that tobacco companies would not be expected to include the graphic warnings on their packs until next year, though it was not stated when next year.