Tobacco Packaging Warning Messages - Venezuela

Venezuela

For many years in Venezuela, the only warning in cigarette packs was printed in a very small typeface along one of the sides:

"Se ha determinado que el fumar cigarrillos es nocivo para la salud, Ley de impuesto sobre cigarrillos" (It has been determined that cigarette smoking is harmful to your health, Cigarette Tax Law) Since 14 September 1978

On 24 March 2005, another warning was introduced in every cigarette pack: "Este producto contiene alquitrán, nicotina y monóxido de carbono, los cuales son cancerígenos y tóxicos. No existen niveles seguros para el consumo de estas sustancias"(This product contains tar, nicotine and carbon monoxide, which are carcinogenic and toxic. There are no safe levels for consumption of these substances".

1978's warning, was not removed, now every cigarette pack contains both warnings (one on each lateral).

In addition, since 24 March 2005, one of the following warnings is randomly printed very prominently, along with a graphical image, occupying the 100% of the back of the pack (40% for the text warning and 60% for the image):

• Este producto es dañino para la salud y produce adicción (This product is hazardous to your health and is addictive) View image
• Fumar causa mal aliento, pérdida de muelas y cáncer de boca (Smoking causes bad breath, tooth decay and mouth cancer) view image
• Fumar causa cáncer de pulmón, tos, enfisema pulmonar y bronquitis crónica (Smoking causes lung cancer, coughing, pulmonar emphysema and chronic bronchitis), the picture is a comparison between a smoker´s lung (left) and a healthy lung (right) view image
• Fumar causa infarto al corazón, Q.E.P.D. al portador, muerto por fumador (Smoking causes cardiac infarction, R.I.P. bearer, Killed by smoking) view image
• Fumar durante el embarazo daña la salud de tu bebé (Smoking while pregnant harms your baby) view image
• Los niños y niñas comienzan a fumar al ver adultos fumando (Children start smoking when they see adults smoke) view image
• Fumar cigarrillos causa cáncer de laringe (Smoking cigarettes causes larynx cancer) view image
• Fumar causa impotencia en los hombres (Smoking causes impotence in men) view image
• El humo del cigarrillo afecta también a quien no fuma (Cigarette smoke also harms those who don't smoke) view image
• Da hoy el primer paso, dejar de fumar es posible (take today your first step, quitting is possible) view image

Also, in Venezuela, tobacco advertising is strictly forbidden, so much so that the words tobacco, cigarette, cigar, etc. are not permitted in media such as radio and television and no one can smoke on television.

In the campaign called: "Venezuela 100% libre de humo" (Venezuela, 100% Smoke free), curiously, these warnings only appear on cigarette packs and not on other tobacco products (which only conserve the 1978's warning).