The Secretary of the Tobacco Control Division, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, informed the Kerala High Court on Friday (July 10, 2026) that displaying the exact percentage of nicotine and tar levels on cigarette packaging might mislead consumers in terms of health risks in consuming cigarettes and other tobacco products.
The Division Bench of Chief Justice Soumen Sen and Justice V.M. Shyamkumar was informed that the Union government had deliberately refrained from mandating the disclosure of nicotine and tar content on cigarette packaging.
The Ministry stated that such disclosure would provide incomplete and potentially misleading information regarding the overall health risks associated with tobacco consumption.
It was further stated that the World Health Convention of Tobacco Control discouraged the display of the quantity of harmful ingredients as international experience had shown that consumers frequently misinterpreted such information as indicating reduced health risks.
The affidavit was filed in response to the court’s suggestion to consider printing accurate quantities of ingredients on cigarette packets. The court was considering a public interest litigation filed by M. Sangeerthana of Ernakulam seeking strict control in consumption of cigarettes and other tobacco products, such as removing cigarette advertisements, checking age identification while selling cigarettes and to prohibit public smoking.
Published – July 10, 2026 08:20 pm IST
