The Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) in its continued efforts to ensure that products falling under its purview comply with the respective standards and guidelines has recently discovered that there is quite a number of non- compliant brands of cigarettes being imported and offered for sale in Guyana. Recent complaints have caused the GNBS to further intensify its surveillance activities on this commodity which has resulted in the seizure of a quantity of inadequately labelled cigarettes. This is a major concern for the Bureau in light of the harmful effects tobacco and its products can have on consumers.
Some of the brands seized by the GNBS so far include BOLTON, RAY, PALACE, COOPER, KARELIA and GORILLA. A closer examination of the labelling requirements on these seized packets of cigarettes revealed that they failed to comply with many of the requirements stipulated in the Guyana Standard Specifications for the Labelling of retail packages of cigarettes (GYS 9-3: 2004). There is no mention of the ingredients nor is there any declaration of the amounts. The health warning is also in violation.
As a result, the GNBS wishes to advise all vendors, shopkeepers and users of cigarettes that the said brands should not be sold nor consumed. Consumers, vendors and shopkeepers are urged not to purchase the said products, and in cases where they were already purchased, urgent efforts should be made to return them to the wholesalers or distributors for refunds. Failure to do so will result in their seizure by the GNBS when they are found.
Importers of Cigarettes need to ensure that the product complies with requirements. This means that prior to importation they must be registered with the Bureau, acquire a copy of the national standard and ensure that the product conforms to the specifications. They should also submit a sample of the product to be checked by the Bureau prior to importation. It is only after these requirements are met that the GNBS will allow the sale of such products in the marketplace.
Apart from the tar group designation and health warning specifications,every retail pack of cigarettes, that is manufactured, packaged and/or imported into Guyana for sale, must be labelled legibly in English language.
