Vietnam experts propose increasing tobacco warning label size

Experts in Vietnam are calling for an update to tobacco health warnings on packaging, suggesting that the current warning area be increased from 50% to at least 85% on both the front and back of cigarette packs.

Associate Professor Le Thi Thanh Huong from the University of Public Health noted that the six existing graphic warning images have remained unchanged since 2013. Research from 2024 indicates that the effectiveness of these warnings has declined, with the proportion of smokers paying attention to them dropping by more than 10% compared to 2015. Long-term smokers reported becoming desensitized to the static imagery over time.

Vietnam's global ranking regarding the size of health warnings has also declined, falling from 28th in 2014 to 119th in 2025 among surveyed nations. In contrast, countries such as Thailand and Timor-Leste have implemented much larger warning areas. A pilot study conducted with US CDC experts found that smokers exposed to 85% coverage with new imagery and quit-line information demonstrated better understanding of tobacco harms and a higher intention to quit.