Proposed Cigarette Product Warning Labels

FDA Announces Proposal for New Cigarette Health Warnings

On November 10, HHS and FDA announced a proposal to require new and prominent health warnings on all cigarette packages, cartons, and advertisements. The inclusion of larger and more noticeable graphic health warnings will clearly convey the negative health consequences of smoking to educate all Americans about the health risks of cigarettes. The public is being encouraged to comment directly on these proposed warnings and to help FDA choose the graphic health warnings required by law for use on cigarette packages, cartons, and advertisements. The submitted comments will be officially considered in the final warnings that will be issued by June 22, 2011.

Proposed Cigarette Product Warning Labels

Overview
The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (Tobacco Control Act) requires that cigarette packages and advertisements have larger and more visible graphic health warnings.

FDA issued a proposed rule, Required Warnings for Cigarette Packages and Advertisements, proposing to modify the required warnings that appear on cigarette packages and in cigarette advertisements. These new required warnings would consist of nine new textual warning statements accompanied by color graphics depicting the negative health consequences of smoking.

Timeline for Final Regulations
The Tobacco Control Act requires FDA to issue final regulations requiring these color graphics by June 22, 2011. It also specifies that the requirement for the new health warnings on cigarette packages and advertisements will take effect 15 months after issuance of this final rule.

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Proposed Cigarette Product Warning Labels