Following a decree signed by the minister of Public Health of the Republic of Chad, Ngariera Rimadjita, on 10 February 2015, all packaging of cigarettes in the Central African country will need to bear pictorial warnings and written texts from 9 November 2015. This date marks the end of the nine month transition period that has been granted to the tobacco industry.

Chad thus becomes the fifth country in the African region to adopt pictorial health warnings.

70% of the two principal display areas of cigarette packages will have to be covered by the warnings. The text of the warnings will be displayed in the country's two official languages, French and Arabic, and will, like the images, be renewed on a biennial basis.

The decree adds to an anti-tobacco law passed in 2010 which, among other things, bans advertising, smoking in public places and sales to minors. In making this great progress in tobacco legislation over the past years, the country has been supported by the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease.

For more information see:

http://www.otaf.info/node/168