In a bid to discourage smoking and, pictorial health warnings on cigarette packs have become obligatory as of today, reports The Malta Independent Online.

The new warnings, replacing text-only warnings, have to cover at least 45 per cent of the external area of a packe and the photographs can be used from a library compiled by the European Commission.
The health officials have warned retailers not to accept further non-compliant tobacco products, saying that they would be liable for legal action in case they failed to do that. The penalties for offending the regulation range from EUR 233 to EUR 1,164.69. 
Non-compliant  stock must be removed from sale by 22 June. (pi)