More countries now require tobacco plain packaging and graphic health warnings on cigarette packages

An international report released in November 2025, by the Canadian Cancer Society (CCS) reveals ongoing progress for tobacco plain packaging and graphic picture warnings worldwide.

- BY MANJARI PEIRIS

The CCS report, titled Cigarette Package Health Warnings: International Status Report, details global developments on plain packaging, ranks 212 countries and territories on the size of their health warnings on cigarette packages, and lists the 140 countries and territories that now require graphic picture warnings.

The report also highlights Canada's and Australia's groundbreaking move to require health warnings printed directly on every individual cigarette—first implemented in Canada in 2024 and in Australia in 2025.

Plain packaging — global progress

Plain packaging means cigarette packages can't display brand colours, logos or design elements, and must use a standard shape and colour, making all brands look the same. Guidelines under the international tobacco treaty, the World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC), recommend that countries consider implementing plain packaging on cigarette packages.

Presently, 44 countries and territories are actively moving forward with plain packaging, with 27 having adopted the measure, 3 having it in practice, and 14 in the process of implementation.

"Plain packaging is a key measure to protect youth and to reduce tobacco use," says Rob Cunningham, Senior Policy Analyst, CCS. "Plain packaging — which acts as a mini-billboard — strips brands of their allure, an allure that prompts many youth to begin smoking. It is encouraging that an increasing number of countries have adopted this measure. The sooner more do so, the sooner more lives will be saved."

The 27 countries/ territories that have adopted plain packaging is up from only nine in 2018 and from 25 in 2023 to 27 in 2025 with 44 countries and territories are actively moving forward with plan packaging.