TITLE II

TOBACCO PRODUCTS
CHAPTER II

Labelling and packaging

General warnings and information messages on tobacco products for smoking
Article 9
1
Each unit packet and any outside packaging of tobacco products for smoking shall carry one of the following general warnings:
Smoking kills – quit now
or
Smoking kills
Member States shall determine which of the general warnings referred to in the first subparagraph is to be used.
2
Each unit packet and any outside packaging of tobacco products for smoking shall carry the following information message:
Tobacco smoke contains over 70 substances known to cause cancer.
3
For cigarette packets and roll-your-own tobacco in cuboid packets the general warning shall appear on the bottom part of one of the lateral surfaces of the unit packets, and the information message shall appear on the bottom part of the other lateral surface. These health warnings shall have a width of not less than 20 mm.
For packets in the form of a shoulder box with a hinged lid that result in the lateral surfaces being split into two when the packet is open, the general warning and the information message shall appear in their entirety on the larger parts of those split surfaces. The general warning shall also appear on the inside of the top surface that is visible when the packet is open.
The lateral surfaces of this type of packet shall have a height of not less than 16 mm.
For roll-your-own tobacco marketed in pouches the general warning and the information message shall appear on the surfaces that ensure the full visibility of those health warnings. For roll-your-own tobacco in cylindrical packets the general warning shall appear on the outside surface of the lid and the information message on the inside surface of the lid.
Both the general warning and the information message shall cover 50 % of the surfaces on which they are printed.
4
The general warning and information message referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2 shall be:
a
printed in black Helvetica bold type on a white background. In order to accommodate language requirements, Member States may determine the font size, provided that the font size specified in national law ensures that the relevant text occupies the greatest possible proportion of the surface reserved for these health warnings; and
b
at the centre of the surface reserved for them, and on cuboid packets and any outside packaging they shall be parallel to the lateral edge of the unit packet or of the outside packaging.
5
The Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 27 to adapt the wording of the information message laid down in paragraph 2 to scientific and market developments.
6
The Commission shall, by means of implementing acts, determine the precise position of the general warning and the information message on roll-your-own tobacco marketed in pouches, taking into account the different shapes of pouches.
Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 25(2).