Tobacco consumed in Vietnam must be labeled and printed with health warnings on their packages

According to Article 15 of the Law on Tobacco Harm Prevention of Vietnam, tobacco manufactured or imported in Vietnam for sale must be labeled and printed with health warnings on their packages. Tobacco manufactured or imported in Vietnam for sale must be labeled in Vietnamese in accordance with the law on goods labeling, and satisfy the following requirements:

- Printing health warnings in text and graphics which are clear and interpretable;

- Sticking stamps or printing number codes and barcodes; printing the date of manufacture and date of expiry;

- Printing clearly the quantity of cigarettes on cigarette packs, or the weight on other tobacco;

- Not using words and phrases that make readers and users believe that tobacco is of little harm, or incorrectly understand the harms of tobacco and smoke to human health.

Note: Health warnings printed on tobacco packages must particularly describe the harms of tobacco use to human health and other suitable messages, and must be changed once every two years. Heath warnings must occupy at least 50% of the front and rear of a tobacco pack, carton or box. The labeling of tobacco packages for export shall be made in accordance with the requirements of importing countries.

The Minister of Health shall  be in charge and cooperate with the Minister of Industry and Trade in issuing specific regulations on the labeling and printing of health warnings for tobacco as prescribed above. The Government shall specify the increase of the areas for printing health warnings suitable to each period.

View more details at the Law on Tobacco Harm Prevention of Vietnam, officially effective from January 01, 2013.

Ty Na

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