Canada is set to become the first country in the world to put health warnings on individual cigarettes.
The warnings will be placed on the butts of individual cigarettes, little cigars, tubes and other tobacco products.
The Ottawa government said the regulations will come into force on August 1st in a phased approach.
King size cigarettes will be the first to feature the text, followed by regular size cigarettes.
The warnings include "Poison in every puff," "Tobacco smoke harms children" and "Cigarettes cause cancer".
![An example of the new cigarette labelling in Canada.](https://media.radiocms.net/uploads/2023/06/01093651/Canada-cigarettes-edit.jpg)
Carolyn Bennett, Canada's Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, has said the change will make it virtually impossible to avoid health warnings.
"We are taking action by being the first country in the world to label individual cigarettes with health warning messages," she said.
"This bold step will make health warning messages virtually unavoidable, and together with updated graphic images displayed on the package, will provide a real and startling reminder of the health consequences of smoking.
"We will continue to do whatever it takes to help more people in Canada stop smoking and help young people to live healthy tobacco-free lives," she added.
Retailers will carry tobacco product packages that feature the new warnings by the end of April 2024, officials have said.