THE Health Ministry is working with its legal arm towards a Tobacco Control Regulation 2012 which will be expected this month.
Permanent secretary for Health Doctor Eloni Tora said the development was part of the ministry's initiative on the effects of smoking.
Dr Tora said they would display a pictorial health warning on all cigarette packs sold in Fiji by July 1, 2013.
British American Tobacco (BAT) corporate and regulatory affairs manager Rajeshwar Singh said this would be done in accordance with Section 9 of the Tobacco Control Decree 2010.
"The regulation is part of the Tobacco Control Decree 2010 by the Ministry of Health," said Mr Singh.
He said the pictorial warnings would occupy 30 per cent of the space on the front and 90 per cent on the back of cigarette packets.
"For the current textual warning, it has 25 per cent front and 25 per cent back," he said.
Dr Tora said BAT must work within the law and that the ministry's concern was the health of the people.
"However, at the end of the day, it is the choice of the individual," he said.
Dr Tora said they were also happy with the recent increase in cigarette packet prices by 30 cents.
"Researches have shown that raising the price of tobacco and tobacco products through tax increases is the most effective way to reduce smoking," he said.
He said higher cigarette prices reduced the number of smokers and induced those who continued to smoke to consume fewer cigarettes per day.