Tobacco Research Library
Finding reliable tobacco control information shouldn’t require hours of searching government archives and academic databases. This library brings together the essential resources: WHO guidelines, national policy reports, implementation toolkits, and peer-reviewed research – all in one place.
Every link goes directly to the original source. We don’t host documents. We point you to the authoritative version.
Where to Start
If you’re new to tobacco labelling policy, these three resources provide the foundation:
WHO FCTC Article 11 Guidelines. The official FCTC Article 11 guide covers everything parties must implement: warning size requirements, pictorial specifications, rotation schedules, and plain packaging recommendations. This is the international baseline that 183 countries have agreed to follow. → WHO FCTC Guidelines for Article 11
FCTC Tobacco Labelling Toolkit. The tobacco labelling toolkit walks policymakers through practical implementation. It covers designing warnings, selecting images, working with manufacturers, and measuring effectiveness. Essential reading for anyone drafting or revising national regulations. → WHO Tobacco Labelling Resource Centre
Canadian Cancer Society Status Report. Published annually since 2008, this report tracks warning requirements and plain packaging adoption across every country. The 2025 edition documents 140 countries with pictorial warnings and 27 with standardized packaging. → CCS Cigarette Package Health Warnings Report
WHO & International Resources
The World Health Organization maintains the most comprehensive collection of tobacco policy reports and implementation guides.
Treaty Documents
Resource | Description |
|---|---|
Complete treaty text with all articles | |
Detailed packaging and labelling guidance | |
Advertising, promotion, sponsorship bans | |
Evidence, design specifications, legal considerations |
Monitoring Reports
The WHO publishes regular assessments of global tobacco control progress:
- WHO Report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic – Biennial report tracking MPOWER measures across all countries. The 2025 edition provides current data on warning requirements, smoke-free policies, and cessation support. → Global Tobacco Epidemic Reports
- FCTC Implementation Database – Country-by-country reporting on treaty compliance. Search by nation to see official government submissions on Article 11 implementation. → FCTC Implementation Database
- Tobacco Control Country Profiles – One-page summaries of each country’s regulations, smoking prevalence, and policy status. → WHO Tobacco Country Profiles
Regional Tobacco Policy Reports
Different regions publish their own assessments and best practice guides.
🌏 ASEAN & Asia-Pacific
SEATCA Tobacco Packaging Index. The Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance publishes detailed scorecards for all 10 ASEAN nations. The July 2025 edition ranks countries on warning size, plain packaging, misleading descriptor bans, and other Article 11 measures. ASEAN is the only region where all member states have implemented pictorial warnings. → SEATCA Tobacco Labelling Resources
SEATCA Regional Image Bank. Shared health warning images used across ASEAN countries, organised by health effect and language. → SEATCA Image Bank
🇪🇺 Europe
EU Tobacco Products Directive. Directive 2014/40/EU establishes the 65% warning requirement for all EU member states. The consolidated text includes technical specifications for warning images, positioning, and rotation. → EU TPD Full Text
European Commission Implementation Reports. Regular assessments of how member states are applying the directive, including compliance data and enforcement actions. → EC Tobacco Policy Documents
🇺🇸 Americas
Health Canada Tobacco Regulations. Canada’s tobacco labelling requirements, including the world-first individual cigarette warnings (2024). Includes the Tobacco Products Labelling Regulations and plain packaging specifications. → Health Canada Tobacco Labelling
Canada’s Tobacco Strategy Progress Report (2026). Government assessment of strategy implementation, including smoking prevalence data (11% adult smoking rate in 2024) and projections toward the 5% by 2035 goal. → Canada’s Tobacco Strategy
FDA Tobacco Regulations (US). Current US requirements for cigarette health warnings, including the 2020 final rule on graphic warnings and ongoing implementation timeline. → FDA Tobacco Products
Academic Research Collections
Peer-reviewed studies provide the evidence base for tobacco labelling policies.
University of Waterloo
Dr. David Hammond’s research group has published extensively on warning effectiveness, plain packaging impacts, and emerging product labelling. Their work spans tobacco, e-cigarettes, cannabis, and alcohol.
Key publications:
- Health warnings systematic reviews
- Plain packaging evaluation studies
- ITC Project country reports
- Warning design recommendations
International Tobacco Control Project
The ITC Project conducts longitudinal surveys across 30+ countries, tracking how policies affect smoking behaviour. Their tobacco policy reports provide before-and-after evidence on warning changes, plain packaging, and other measures.
Recent studies include:
- Australia plain packaging evaluation (2012–present)
- Canada warning effectiveness assessment (2024–2025)
- UK standardized packaging longitudinal surveys (2016–2022)
- Singapore plain packaging impact (2020–present)
Tobacco Control Journal
The leading peer-reviewed journal for tobacco control research. Search their archive for studies on:
- Warning label effectiveness
- Plain packaging outcomes
- Youth smoking prevention
- Policy implementation
Implementation Guides & Toolkits
Practical resources for policymakers and advocates working on tobacco labelling.
Drafting Legislation
WHO Tobacco Labelling Toolkit. Step-by-step guidance on developing national labelling laws compliant with FCTC Article 11. Covers legal drafting, technical specifications, and industry compliance timelines.
Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids Legislative Resources. Model legislation and case studies from countries that have implemented strong labelling requirements. → Tobacco-Free Kids Policy Resources
Warning Design
Health Warning Image Libraries. Several organisations maintain galleries of approved warning images:
- SEATCA Image Bank – ASEAN warnings
- EU Warning Image Library – European warnings
- Health Canada Warning Images – Canadian warnings
Measuring Effectiveness
ITC Survey Instruments. Standardized questionnaires for measuring warning salience, cognitive responses, and quit intentions. Used across 30+ countries for comparable data.
Technical Specifications
Cigarette pack dimensions and packaging formats vary by market but increasingly face regulation. Technical documents specify standard cigarette box size requirements for manufacturers:
- Standard cigarette pack dimensions typically accommodate 20 cigarettes
- Cigarette box dimensions affect warning label placement and visibility
- Marlboro box size and similar brands must comply with regional specifications
- Size of cigarette box now regulated in countries with plain packaging laws
Resources like Kyrgyzstan’s 2008 Tobacco Package Design Rules provide detailed cigarette box size specifications, serving as reference documents for countries developing their own packaging standards.
Legal Documents & Court Decisions
Tobacco labelling laws have faced numerous legal challenges. These resources document key cases.
WTO Disputes
Australia Plain Packaging (DS435, DS441, DS458, DS467). Multiple countries challenged Australia’s 2012 plain packaging law. The WTO panel ruled in Australia’s favour in 2018, confirming that plain packaging is a legitimate public health measure.
National Court Cases
Australia High Court (2012). JT International SA v Commonwealth of Australia – The High Court rejected tobacco industry claims that plain packaging violated intellectual property rights.
UK High Court (2016). British American Tobacco & Others v Secretary of State for Health – Challenge to UK standardized packaging regulations dismissed.
Stay Current
Tobacco labelling regulations change frequently. These sources provide updates:
- WHO FCTC News – Treaty developments and COP decisions → FCTC News
- Tobacco Control Journal – Latest research publications → Tobacco Control Latest
- SEATCA Updates – ASEAN region policy developments → SEATCA News
Suggest a Resource
Know of an official report or government document we should include? Contact us with the source URL and we’ll review it for addition.
This library focuses on primary sources: government publications, WHO documents, and peer-reviewed research. We don’t include tobacco industry materials or unofficial summaries.
This resource directory links to external sources maintained by their respective organizations. We verify links periodically, but cannot guarantee continued availability. All documents remain the intellectual property of their publishers. For the most current versions, always check the original source.