In many countries smoking was prohibited in public places. However smokers continued to smoke more and more, and also became nervous because they considered that their rights were cut. That’s why was implemented a new legislation which introduced, on each cigarettes packets, pictorial warnings about the smoking dangers.

Canada was the first country to introduce picture warnings in 2001. Graphic images are now used on tobacco products sold in Australia, Brazil, Canada, India, New Zealand, Singapore, Venezuela, Thailand and Uruguay.

This new law finally succeeded to hit the market, more than a month after they were due, but they are far from being gory as they were meant to be.

For example now on a cig packet is showing a misty picture of what appeared to be an individual wearing a white tie with an arrow pointing to a red spot on a black shirt. This picture possibly intended to show a cancerous spot on the lungs caused by smoking.

Today, in the Indian market can be found only packets of cigarettes which carry a red and white band declaring - Smoking Kills and another message in black and white -Tobacco Causes Cancer.

In India, the date of manufacture on the packet with warnings was June 9th, indicating it was manufactured in June but was released into the market only now.

In General the pictorial warnings are being carried under the Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products (Packing and Labeling) Rules, 2008, that came into effect May 31.

The government had Oct 2, 2008 banned smoking in public places in a bid to wean people away from the habit. Smoking has also been prohibited even from the silver screen.

Statistics show that over 900,000 people die every year in India from smoking related diseases. Passive smoking is also one of the major causes of people falling prey to smoking related diseases.

India is the world’s second largest tobacco producer after China, providing employment to some 35 million people.

Researchers expect that pictorial warnings would be more effective than text, and they suggested that warnings should be changed periodically for to maintain their effectiveness.