Laura Poy Solano
La Jornada Newspaper
Saturday, February 7, 2026, p. 8
The Ministry of Health (Ssa) announced in the Official Gazette of the Federation (DOF) the agreement on the legends, images, pictograms, health messages and information that must appear on all tobacco product packages from July 1, 2026 to February 29, 2028.
The images include that of a newborn, with the legend “Smoking is a cause of malformations in your baby.” Other messages that must be printed on all tobacco products warn about the risk of developing a cleft palate or cleft lip if smoked during pregnancy.
The federal agency includes, among other warning texts, that smoking causes depression and anxiety, and harms pets, as it causes bronchitis, asthma and pneumonia in companion animals.
▲ Mandatory packaging must warn of the risks of malformations in babies when the mother smokes, lung, neck and throat cancer, among others.Photo Roberto García
The messages aimed at consumers of tobacco products also warn about the risk of suffering from various types of cancer, such as neck, breast and skin cancer, in addition to their effects on the environment, highlighting that a single cigarette butt contaminates up to 50 liters of drinking water, since its “toxins and persistent plastics are poison.”
The document establishes that tobacco products that do not generate smoke when used or consumed must include on 100 percent of the surface of one of the side faces of all packages produced, manufactured or imported that are distributed within the national territory, legends such as: “This product contains nicotine. Highly addictive toxic substance”, in addition to warning that it also includes other harmful substances such as lead and nickel.
