Cigarette shortages following graphic warning requirement

Cigarettes have been in short supply in Sri Lanka since the Ceylon Tobacco Co. (CTC) stopped distributing them on Feb. 27, reports Daily Mirror.

A new law requires cigarette manufacturers print pictorial health warnings on its packs before releasing them to the market.

The CTC went to court over the new regulations, which were introduced by the health ministry. The Court of Appeal refused a stay order on the regulations and the matter is now before the Supreme Court.

Sources said the CTC was going ahead with the printing of pictorial health warnings on new packets of cigarettes.

New packets of Gold Leaf cigarettes would reportedly be introduced to the market by March 2 while the new packets of Dunhill cigarettes would be in the market by March 10.