According to BMJ Global Health, smoking kills more than one million people every year in India. The World Health Organization says tobacco-related diseases cost India $16 billion annually. It’s the main reason to issue 85% warning on the cigarette packs. The ministry implemented this decision after Rajasthan High Court directed it to do so.  Before this only 40% warning should be on one side, which means 160% of the space is given to advertisement and promotion, but now there should be more warning than advertisement.

Their should be 50 per cent pictorial warning recommended on both sides of cigarettes packets, on one side of beedi and smokeless tobacco packets.

The implementation of this rule comes after the Health Ministry under Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products Act, 2003 (COTPA) increased the graphic health warning size on the tobacco products from 20% to 85%. The rule came into effect on April 1, 2016. After that tobacco companies backed by foreign “Big tobacco” and other companies such as ITC, Godfrey Philips India, Marlboro, and Four Square as well as Red and White had stopped production from April 2 onwards. For this rule the tobacco industry take the government to the court, as they are saying that the rule is impractical, increases the smuggling and import of tobacco.

Supreme Court has passed the decision making the new rule mandatory for cigarette industry last month, after that International cigarette companies ITC and Godfrey Phillips have implemented the rule requiring 85% pictorial warning on the cigarette packs.

The Tobacco Institute of India (TII) said that the tobacco is very important commercial crop of India as it contributes more than Rs 30,000 Crore in tax revenue annually and also earn Rs 6,000 crore in foreign exchange.

The State authorities and police will do time to time periodic inspection to ensure the rule is following by all the companies.