Health Warning on Cigarettes at the Time of Import

[Ref: CBEC Instruction dated 30 November 2011]

Subject: New Pictorial Health Warning - Implementation of the Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products (Packaging and Labelling) Rules, 2008

Attention is invited to the CBEC instructions F.No. 450 / 160 / 2009 – Cus.IV dated 29.12.2009 and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare Notifications No. 417 (E) dated 27.05.2011 on the above mentioned subject.

2. The Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products (Packaging and Labelling) Rules, 2008 Rules prescribe the manner in which the specified health warning shall be displayed on the tobacco product packs covering all types of tobacco products produced, supplied, imported and distributed in India. The Rules came into effect from 31^st May, 2009.

3. A set of new pictorial health warning has been issued by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare vide Notification G.S.R. No. 417 (E) dated 27^th May, 2011 (copy enclosed) which shall come into force from 1^st December, 2011. Accordingly, all the tobacco products manufactured / packaged / imported for sale in India have to bear the new specified health warnings as prescribed in the said Notification. A copy of the Rules is available on the Ministry’s website: http://www.mohfw.nic.in/ under National Tobacco Control Programme.

4. The Board hereby instructs the Customs field formations dealing with clearance of these products to ensure strict compliance and implementation of the specified health warning on the cigarette and other tobacco products as per the Notification G.S.R. No. 417 (E) dated 27^th May, 2011.

MoHFW notification G.S.R. No. 417 (E) dated 27^th May, 2011: (page-1) (page-2) (page-3)

F.No. 528/133/2011-STO (TU)