Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2018-04-10

Introduction of the standardized (plain) packaging for tobacco products

- As a result of the direct and indirect harm caused by the use of tobacco, it has been estimated that the death toll in Sri Lanka annually exceeds 25,000. The programmes implemented for the prevention of the use of tobacco and alcohol throughout the past have resulted in reducing the use of tobacco among the adult males in Sri Lanka from 29% in 2011 up to 24% by 2015. The expectation of the Government is to reduce the tobacco usage up to 15% in the next 4 years to prevent the 6,000 deaths. In this respect, as one of the strategies adopted for discouraging of smoking, a proposal has been made to introduce 'Standardized Packaging' to minimize the attractiveness of packaging of all tobacco products.

In this, only two colours or black and white can be used for tobacco products packaging and anything other than the information specified or mandated by the Government such as trade name, product name, quantity of the product and health warning or any symbol will not be permitted to be exhibited on these packaging. It has been a proven experience in other countries that this strategy has helped in minimizing the sale of tobacco to a considerable level. As such, with a view to providing legal provisions to introduce 'Standardized Packaging' for all tobacco products placed for sale in the country, the proposal made by Hon. (Dr.) Rajitha Senaratne, the Minister of Health, Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine, to instruct the Legal Draftsman to amend the National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol Act, No.27 of 2006 or to prepare draft legislation to enact regulations under the Act, was approved by the Cabinet.