Tobacco Packaging Warning Messages - Canada

Canada

The Canadian Tobacco Act requires warnings to be printed in English and French, on all tobacco products sold legally in Canada. The current set of 15 warnings was introduced in 2000, replacing older versions from 1994. A Health Canada warning is printed randomly on all tobacco product packaging sold legally in Canada, and is required to take up at least 50% of the visible surface of all tobacco product packaging sold legally in Canada. Imported cigarettes to be sold in Canada which do not have the warnings are affixed with sticker versions when they are sold legally in Canada. A recent government announcement stated that the warning is to be increased to 75% of the visible surface with graphic images of the ill effects of cancer on health.

Each warning is printed along with a short explanation and is accompanied by a picture illustrating that particular warning, for example:

WARNING
CIGARETTES CAUSE LUNG CANCER
85% of lung cancers are caused by smoking.
80% of lung cancer victims die within three years.

accompanied by a picture of a human lung detailing cancerous growths.

Additionally, on the inside of the packaging or, for some packets, on a pull-out card, "health information messages" provide answers and explanations regarding common questions and concerns about quitting smoking and smoking-related illnesses. On the packaging (usually on the narrow side of a packet), a table details the approximate amount of toxic substances found in that particular brand of cigarette, for example (from B&H Belmont Milds brand):

Toxic emissions / unit: Tar 11 – 26 mg, Nicotine 1.0 – 2.4 mg,
Carbon monoxide 14 – 28 mg, Formaldehyde 0.057 mg – 0.14 mg,
Hydrogen cyanide 0.10 – 0.22 mg, Benzene 0.028 – 0.067 mg

In accordance with Canadian law regarding products sold legally in Canada, the warnings are provided in both English and French.

Health Canada is also considering laws mandating plain packaging, in which legal tobacco product packaging would be black and white and labelled solely with simple unadorned text, as well as outlawing descriptive terms such as "Light" and "Mild", which Health Canada argues are deceptive to consumers and encourage them to falsely believe that these brands of cigarettes are less likely to cause illness or addiction.

There have been several complaints from Canadians due to the graphic nature of some of the labels, such as the rotting teeth to show the damage which occurs to the teeth.