Following a decree signed by the minister of Public Health of the Republic of Chad, Ngariera Rimadjita, on 10 February 2015, all packaging of cigarettes in the Central African country will need to bear pictorial warnings and written texts from 9 November 2015. This date marks the end of the nine month transition period that has been granted to the tobacco industry.

Chad thus becomes the fifth country in the African region to adopt pictorial health warnings.

- the Norwegian Minister of Health and Care Services, Bent Høie, told journalists when announcing that the Government will initiate a consultation on a proposal to introduce plain packaging legislation. 

The consultation is expected to commence at the end of February 2015.

The goal of taking this measure is to prevent tobacco use among children and young people. The measure is in line with Article 11 of the WHO FCTC, and the recommendations of the implementation guidelines for this Article.

Dr Vera da Costa e Silva met Mr Omar Sey, the Minister of Health of the Gambia during the 136th session of the WHO Executive Board. Dr da Costa e Silva explained the importance of Parties speeding up ratification or accession to the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products. The Minister stated that he is committed to taking immediate action on accession upon returning home. He also indicated that he is promoting implementation of the WHO FCTC in the Gambia, as well as advocating for the Convention in regional and international forums.

Les résultats de l'Enquête canadienne sur le tabac, l'alcool et les drogues ont été publiés le 3 février 2015.

La prévalence générale du tabagisme en 2013 s'élevait à 15 % (4,2 millions de fumeurs), statistiquement inchangé par rapport à 2012 (16 %). Il s'agit toutefois du taux national de tabagisme le plus bas jamais observé. Onze pour cent (11 % ou 3,1 millions) des répondants ont indiqué fumer quotidiennement, tandis que 4 % (1,1 million) ont déclaré fumer occasionnellement. Un pourcentage plus élevé d'hommes (16 %) que de femmes (13 %) ont déclaré fumer.

The 2013 Canadian Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Survey data were released on February 3, 2015.

The overall smoking prevalence in 2013 was 15% (4.2 million smokers), statistically unchanged from 2012 (16%, about 4.6 million smokers), but the lowest national smoking rate ever recorded. Eleven percent (11% or 3.1 million) reported smoking daily, while 4% (1.1 million) reported smoking occasionally. More males (16%) reported smoking than females (13%).  

The Tobacco Control Regulations, 2014, published in Kenya Gazette on 5 December 2014 strengthens implementation of the WHO FCTC in Kenya in several areas, further adding to the strong tack record of Kenya in its implementation of the FCTC since its ratification in 2004.

The new requirements of the Regulations, due to enter into force upon the expiry of six months from the date of its publication in the Gazette, include, among others, the following:

Public Health Minister Jane Ellison confirmed Government backing for the introduction of standardized packaging of tobacco.

The Government intends to lay regulations for standardized packaging before the end of March this year, with the expectation that the regulations would come into force in May 2016.

The Public Health Minister also said that standardized packaging would bring the prospect of the UK's first smoke-free generation one step closer.

On the very last day of December 2014, the Parliament of Kyrgyzstan approved the Law on increasing taxes, including excise taxes on tobacco products. Excise taxes for different types of tobacco will increase as of 2015 and are expected to increase to the level of tobacco taxes in neighboring Kazakhstan. As of 2014, tobacco taxes in Kyrgyzstan are 2.5 to 12 times lower than in Kazakhstan.

Sri Lanka tobacco manufacturers are required, under a court order that is effective from January 1, 2015, to start printing graphic health warnings on cigarette packs.

Sri Lanka's Supreme Court last year ordered the leading manufacturer of tobacco products in Sri Lanka, Ceylon Tobacco Company (CTC) to include pictorial health warnings covering 60 percent of the front and back panels of the cigarette packs released to the market from January 01, 2015.

Since 1 January 2015, smoking is no longer allowed in restaurants, cafes or bars, regardless of their size. In these establishments, the owner can still opt for installing closed booths for smokers, by following the standards determined by the Ministry of Health.

At the same time, the following facilities have become completely smoke-free, with no designated smoking area allowed: