Plain tobacco packaging Health, Dame Tariana Turia) approved plain packaging in principle, a move that tobacco companies said they would strenuously oppose. From July to October 2012 the Ministry of Health undertook a consultation which attracted over 20,000 submissions (including overseas submissions) from public health groups and also the tobacco industry. In February 2013 Government decided to proceed with legislative change in alignment with Australia. A Bill to require the plain packaging of tobacco products – the Smoke-free Environments (Tobacco Plain Packaging) Amendment Bill – was introduced on 17 December 2013. The Bill had its first reading on 11 February 2014. It was
Tobacco packaging warning messages TO HEALTH" in English. Paan, gutkha and tobacco packets carried the warning "TOBACCO IS INJURIOUS TO HEALTH" in Hindi and English. The law later changed. According to the new law, cigarette packets were required to carry pictorial warnings of a skull or scorpion along with the text "SMOKING KILLS" and "TOBACCO CAUSES MOUTH CANCER" in both Hindi and English. "The Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products (Packaging and Labelling) Rules 2008" requiring graphic health warnings came into force on 31 May 2008. Under the law, all tobacco products were required to display graphic pictures, such as pictures of diseased lungs, and