Cigarette package health warnings

Cigarette package health warnings in Canada have improved over time:

In 1989, regulations required a series of 4 text warnings covering 20% of the package front and back.
In 1994, regulations required text warnings in black and white to cover the top 35% of the package front and back.
In 2001, Canada became the first country to require picture warnings and the first country to mandate 50% of the package front and back.
In 2012, picture warnings were required to cover 75% of the package front and back. The Society strongly supports these new warnings.

Survey asks if cigarette package warnings discourage smoking

In 2002, the Society released a study by Environics Research Group Limited – Evaluation of New Warnings on Cigarette Packages – about the effectiveness of precedent-setting picture warnings in Canada.

Society’s report on cigarette package health warnings

Since 2008, the Society has published Cigarette Package Health Warnings: International Status Report every 2 years. The report examines the use of cigarette package warnings by countries around the world and ranks countries based on warning size and if picture warnings are required.

Read our media release coinciding with the 2012 report.

The 2012 report is also available in French, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Russian and Portuguese. You can access any of these versions at the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids website.