Industry manipulation of pictorial health warning labels in Pakistan

Abstract

Approximately 10.5% of adults in Pakistan (about 13 million) smoke cigarettes,1 causing 134 000 deaths annually.2 To reduce the burden of disease, the Pakistan government implemented a requirement in 2010 for 40% pictorial health warning labels (HWLs) that depicted mouth cancer. A 2017 ruling to increase HWL size was implemented in August 2018 (50% throat cancer image) and August 2019 (60% gangrenous foot image).3 4 Pictorial HWLs increase smokers' quit attempts, deter initiation of use among non-smokers, and prevent relapse in former smokers.5