Project and Country Background
Mexico has a population of 128.9 million people; 12.5 percent of the adult population (15+, age standardized) and 14.6 percent of the youth population (13-15 years old) smoke cigarettes.¹ ² ³ An estimated 48,393 people died in Mexico in 2019 from diseases caused by smoking.⁴
TPackSS worked with in-country collaborators to purchase tobacco products initially in three major cities: Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Mérida. Within each city, packs were collected from a sample of 12 economically and socially diverse neighborhoods. Data collectors purchased one of every unique tobacco pack available from vendors selected in each neighborhood. From July 29 to August 2, 2013, data collectors purchased 134 unique cigarette packs. For the next TPackSS data collection in Mexico in 2021, the cities León and Durango were also visited, bringing the total number of cities visited to five. From October 20 to November 6, 2021, data collectors purchased 279 unique cigarette and heated tobacco insert packs.
The tobacco packaging and labeling requirements in effect at the time of data collection were used to assess each tobacco pack’s compliance with the requirements.
Suggested Citation for Information on this Page: Tobacco Pack Surveillance System (TPackSS). Mexico: Project and Country Background. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. http://globaltobaccocontrol.org/tpackss/country/mexico [Insert Last Updated Date].
The tobacco industry is very creative and innovative by changing the pack according to the mood of the market. We need to track this strategy.
Dr. Luz Miriam Reynales Shigematsu, INSP Chief
Packaging and Labeling Requirements Summary
| Data collection dates | Type of warning | Warning label size and layout | Number of warnings to be displayed | Rotation | Rules for misleading descriptors | Other requirements |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jul. 29 to Aug. 2, 2013 [134 unique packs collected] |
Picture and Text |
30% of front (picture), 100% of back (text) | 8 warnings, 4 pairs |
One pair of labels displayed and are intended to be changed every 6 months |
Some restrictions |
Warning may not be concealed or damaged when pack is opened; warning may not be concealed by tax stamp or other required markings |
Oct. 20 to Nov. 6, 2021 [279 unique packs collected] |
Picture and Text |
30% of front (picture), 100% of back (text) | 8 warnings, 4 pairs |
One pair of labels displayed and are intended to be changed every 6 months |
Some restrictions |
Warning may not be concealed or damaged when pack is opened; warning may not be concealed by tax stamp or other required markings |
Tobacco packaging and labeling in Mexico is currently regulated under the General Law on Tobacco Control. The Regulations of the General Law on Tobacco Control were passed in 2009 and a new agreement with an updated set of pictorial health warnings was issued in December 2020.⁵