BACKGROUND: Tobacco packaging and labeling policies that align with Article 11 of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and its Implementation Guidelines are proven strategies to help reduce tobacco consumption. Many WHO South-East Asia Region (SEARO) countries have made significant strides to address high tobacco rates by adopting and implementing such policies. This analysis highlights regional trends and identifies specific policy areas requiring more focused advocacy efforts.
METHODS: Using the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids’ International Legal Consortium’s Tobacco Control Laws database and the World Health Organization’s Report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic 2023, we reviewed tobacco packaging and labeling policies adopted in SEARO. We categorized policies into three sub-policy areas and assessed each against Article 11 of the WHO FCTC and its Guidelines for Implementation. A scoring system was created to rank country policies and identify areas of shared policy strengths and weaknesses.
RESULTS: Ten of the 11 countries in SEARO have adopted national-level laws that address tobacco packaging and labeling requirements. Nine have adopted pictorial health warning labels (HWLs) and seven require at least 70% coverage of the principal display areas. Timor-Leste has the largest pictorial HWLs in the region (92.5%). Only four countries require some display of qualitative constituents and emissions messages. Nine countries have banned misleading brand descriptors. Thailand and Myanmar have implemented standardized packaging, while such legislation is currently under consideration in Indonesia. Myanmar score the highest total possible points in the region, while Bhutan scored the lowest.
CONCLUSIONS: The majority of countries in SEARO have made substantial progress towards alignment with Article 11 of the WHO FCTC. Increased efforts should be made to adopt standardized packaging throughout the region, as well as continued collaboration between SEARO countries to leverage successes and overcome common challenges that prohibit advancement in tobacco warning and labeling policies.