Oman gets UN award for plain packaging initiative
Published: 08:09 AM,Sep 20,2023 | EDITED : 12:09 PM,Sep 20,2023
For illustration purpose only
Muscat: The Sultanate of Oman has been granted the United Nations Inter-Agency Task Force on the Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases Award for its continued efforts and commitment to multispectral action for the prevention and control of NCDs by implementing plain package for tobacco products on a national level, the Ministry of Health said in a statement.
The award ceremony was held virtually on the margins of the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly that took place yesterday (Tuesday) in New York.
Dr. Abdullah Al Harthi, Senior Consultant in Accidents and Intensive Care Surgery received the Award on behalf of the Minister of Health.
This achievement is a major addition to the Ministry's series of achievements in the various health fields towards placing the Sultanate of Oman among the developed countries.
The Ministerial Decision 67/2023 of the Ministry of Commerce and Investment Promotion (MOCCIP) spoke of an Omani Standard Specification Binding (OS 1655:2022), establishing plain packaging for all tobacco products available on the market in the country.
This measure is also consistent with Oman’s plans to meet a 30% reduction in tobacco consumption by 2025.
The specifications of this new legislation were published in 2022 as a voluntary code and have been made compulsory in 2023.
This regulation establishes new sizes of health warnings to be included in the packaging of tobacco products, increasing from 50% to 65%, which contain text messages and pictures, as recommended by the Convention.
The 35 percent of the rest of the pack contains the name of the product, in standard format and color.
Oman was the second country in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean region to implement this policy in addition to Saudi Arabia.
The award ceremony was held virtually on the margins of the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly that took place yesterday (Tuesday) in New York.
Dr. Abdullah Al Harthi, Senior Consultant in Accidents and Intensive Care Surgery received the Award on behalf of the Minister of Health.
This achievement is a major addition to the Ministry's series of achievements in the various health fields towards placing the Sultanate of Oman among the developed countries.
The Ministerial Decision 67/2023 of the Ministry of Commerce and Investment Promotion (MOCCIP) spoke of an Omani Standard Specification Binding (OS 1655:2022), establishing plain packaging for all tobacco products available on the market in the country.
This measure is also consistent with Oman’s plans to meet a 30% reduction in tobacco consumption by 2025.
The specifications of this new legislation were published in 2022 as a voluntary code and have been made compulsory in 2023.
This regulation establishes new sizes of health warnings to be included in the packaging of tobacco products, increasing from 50% to 65%, which contain text messages and pictures, as recommended by the Convention.
The 35 percent of the rest of the pack contains the name of the product, in standard format and color.
Oman was the second country in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean region to implement this policy in addition to Saudi Arabia.