KATHMANDU: Starting from August 17, all tobacco products sold in Nepal must feature graphic health warnings and messages covering 100 percent of their packaging, as per new government regulations aimed at curbing tobacco use.
The Ministry of Health and Population has officially approved the Guidelines for Printing and Marking Warning Messages and Pictures on Tobacco Products, Packets, Wrappers, Boxes and Parcels, Packaging, 2024.
This update marks a shift from the previous requirement, where 90 percent of the packaging surface had to display such warnings.
Under the new directive, 80 percent of the front and back surfaces of tobacco products—including cigarettes, khaini, gutkha, and bidis—must be covered with full-color images depicting serious health consequences like oral cancer, heart disease, and lung cancer. The remaining 20 percent must carry written warning messages.
Health officials say the move is part of a broader strategy to deter tobacco consumption by using disturbing imagery that highlights the risks of tobacco use. Nepal already leads globally in mandating some of the highest proportions of anti-tobacco messaging on product packaging.
But the government plans to go further. Discussions are underway to introduce plain packaging—a measure that removes all forms of branding, including logos, colors, and fonts, from tobacco product packages. Instead, only standard text and warning images would be allowed.
“Although we’ve mandated 100 percent warning images, companies continue to use the 20 percent text area to brand their products,” said Dr. Bhakta Bahadur KC, Information Officer at the Ministry of Health. “That’s why we are now preparing to introduce plain packaging—so no branding, name design, or font manipulation will be allowed.”
Dr. KC also noted that the unattractive color Pantone 448 C—considered the world’s most disliked color—will be used on all tobacco packaging to make the products visually unappealing.
“Even if people try to continue using tobacco, the repulsive packaging will eventually discourage them,” he said, adding that plain packaging has already reduced tobacco consumption in countries like Australia, the UK, France, Belgium, and Turkey.
Gopi Krishna Regmi, Undersecretary at the Ministry’s Law Division and Member Secretary of the Health Tax Fund Secretariat, said that a task force has been formed to amend the Tobacco Products (Control and Regulation) Act 2011 to facilitate plain packaging.
The task force, led by Rishiraj Acharya and comprising officials from the Office of the Prime Minister, Ministry of Law, and Ministry of Industry, is currently drafting a proposal to be presented in the upcoming parliamentary session.
“Many countries have already implemented plain packaging. Nepal is preparing to follow suit,” Regmi said.
Ministry Spokesperson Dr. Prakash Budhathoki emphasized the long-term health benefits of these measures. “Plain packaging will help reduce the number of tobacco users in Nepal, ultimately lowering the prevalence of cancer and other tobacco-related diseases,” he said.
Despite previous efforts, tobacco use remains high in Nepal, largely due to brand loyalty and visual appeal. Authorities hope that through a combination of graphic warnings and plain packaging, both current and potential new users—especially youth—will be discouraged from using tobacco products.
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