Tobacco products, cigarette packs to show helpline number from September

All tobacco products and cigarette packs will have a national toll-free number printed on them from September this year to assist users to quit addiction. 

The number is - 1XXX-XX-2356. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has notified new sets of specified health warnings for all tobacco product packs by making an amendment in the Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products (Packaging and



Labeling) Rules, 2008. 

An official release said, the toll-free number will help in creating awareness among tobacco users and give them access to counselling services to effect behaviour change. 

The text messages that will be printed on the packs are tobacco causes painful death and tobacco causes cancer.