The size of graphic health warnings on cigarette packages will increase from the current 30 per cent to 50 per cent from December, the Ministry of Health and Welfare announced Monday.

Cigarette manufacturers will also have to insert an anti-smoking hotline number and, on low-tar products will have to add the phrase, "Low-tar cigarettes are as harmful to health as ordinary cigarettes".
"We are aiming to adopt warning pictures such as lungs with cancer or people having had their larynx removed. This will help drop the nationwide smoking rate," quotes Asia One a ministry official as saying. "But the resistance from the industry as well as smokers is huge. For the time being, we will work on enlarging the signs." (pi)