[Warnings on cigarette packs in Latin America and the Caribbean]

This study evaluated the content of health warning labels on 240 varieties of cigarettes sold in 28 countries of South America, Central America, and the Caribbean. Warning practices in the different countries were compared, with special attention to the phrasing of the message and the product origin: imported, national, or foreign brands made in the country under a manufacturing permit. It was found that cigarette packages in the largest countries regularly carried warning labels, but in other countries such labeling was infrequent or nonexistent. In 12 countries, imported cigarettes had no warning label or were labeled only in the language of the country of origin. Another 12 countries with permits to manufacture foreign products locally added their own warning label. In three other countries, no warning labels were found, either on domestic cigarettes or locally made foreign brands. The content of the warnings varied considerably from one country to another. In many cases a tendency was observed to use wording that was not forceful and did not provide sufficient information to the consumer. The author believes that the warnings could be improved if their content and presentation were changed.