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Country
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Health
Warning Labels
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Health
Warning Label Text
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Advert.
Health Warning
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Argentina
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Yes
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Resolution
No. 24/1997 states that all alcoholic beverages must have a label specifying
the alcoholic strength and the quotes "Drink with Moderation" and
"Prohibited for people under 18 years old".
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Yes
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Armenia
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Yes
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~
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Yes
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Azerbaijan
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~
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~
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Yes
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Belize
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~
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~
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Yes
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Benin
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Yes
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~
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Yes
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Brazil
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Yes
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The
packages of alcoholic beverages must contain the following warning, in a
legible and intensive manner, "Avoid the excessive consumption of
Alcohol".
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No
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Cambodia
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~
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~
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Yes
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Cape Verde
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Yes
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~
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Yes
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Colombia
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Yes
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Drinks
with an alcohol content of below 0.5 but above 0.1 degrees must state on
their labels, tags or packages the endorsement 'Not recommended for pregnant
women'. Intoxicating drinks with an alcohol content of less than 2.6% may not
be promoted nor distributed to minors. Any advertising intended to promote the
consumption of products with an alcoholic content less than 2.5% amongst
children is prohibited. The following endorsement must appear on the label or
package of the product: 'THIS PRODUCT IS HARMFUL TO THE HEALTH OF CHILDREN
AND PREGNANT WOMEN'. Ley 30 de 1986 states that the statement "EL EXCESO
DE ALCOHOL ES PERDUDICIAL PARA LA SALUD" (The excess of alcohol is
harmful to your health) must occupy 10% of the label area. Ley 124 de 1995
states that the statement: "PROH͂ESE
EL EXPENDIO DE BEBIDAS EMBRIAGANTES A MENORES DE EDAD (Prohibited to be sold
to minors) must be written on the label.
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Yes
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Costa Rica
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Yes
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Decree
No. 15549-S: # Article 1 - The national liquors, including beer, wine and any
other type of drink containing alcohol, that are offered to the public for
national consumption shall carry on their respective labels in a visible
manner, the following health warning: 'Drinking alcohol is harmful to your
health'. # Article 2 - The foreign liquors, including beer, wine and any
other type of drink containing alcohol, that are imported for national
consumption shall carry on their bottle the same health warning as indicated
in Article 1. # Article 3 - Said health warning shall appear clearly visible,
on one of the product's labels, its proportions being such that it is
distinguishable from any other writing and it shall be printed in a colour
contrasting with that used for any other writing.On beers said health warning
should be incorporated into the label in accordance with the predetermined
design. # Article 6 - Apart from the health warning 'Drinking alcohol is
harmful to your health', also permitted is: 'ALCOHOL ABUSE IS HARMFUL TO YOUR
HEALTH'. # Article 7 - The second of the health warnings quoted shall be
placed visibly, on the most prominent part of the label (at the front) of the
brand of alcohol. The size of its letters and the space it occupies shall
correspond exactly to those set out in article 6. # Article 8 - Those
persons, physical or legal, who opt for the health warning 'Alcohol abuse is
harmful to your health' not only need to incorporate this onto the bottle of
every type of liquor, but also said health warning shall figure in any type
of advertising for the product, be it verbal, written or visual, by any means
of communication employed. The size of the health warning should be
sufficiently large and wide as to be widely read.
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Yes
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Dominican Republic
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~
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~
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Yes
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Ecuador
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Yes
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The
packaging and labels of alcoholic beverages must carry the following message
in an easily readable form, using colours that distinguish the text from the
background, and occupying 10% of the total surface area of the label:
"Warning. The excessive consumption of alcohol restricts your capacity
to drive and operate machinery, may cause damage to your health and adversely
affects your family. Ministry of Public Health of Ecuador. Sale prohibited to minors under 18 years of
age".
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Yes
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El Salvador
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~
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~
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Yes
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Finland
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Yes
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Health
warning labels on alcohol bottles and other packaging are obligatory after a
transition period of one year.
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France
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~
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~
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Yes
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Gabon
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~
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~
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Yes
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Gambia
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~
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~
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Yes
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Guatemala
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Yes
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All
containers, packaging and labelling for alcoholic beverages must contain the
warning in Spanish The health warning: “The excessive consumption of this
product is harmful to the health of the consumer” and “The consumption of
this product causes serious harm to your health”. This warning must be
written in Arial Black size 12 in capital letters. The warning must be
clearly legible, occupying 25% of the front part of the label, container or
pack and must indicate the ingredients contained in the product. All the
publicity related with alcoholic beverages must be authorized by the Public
Health Ministry before the products are released to the public. In the case
where the packaging is an eighth [of a litre – translator’s note] the label
can be stuck on the back of the same. The contents of the ingredients shall
be included on the labels in the case of distilled and prepared alcoholic
beverages such as cocktails, cream cocktails and punches.
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Yes
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Honduras
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Yes
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The law
states that: "Preventative legends must be displayed on all alcoholic
beverage packaging."
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Yes
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Iceland
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Yes
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~
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No
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India
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Yes
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A heath
warning printed on alcohol containers is mandatory and this legal provision
is followed. No units or other measures are mentioned on the containers. In
the state of Assam
warning label on containers read: "Alcohol is injurious to your
health". The statutory warning must be printed on labels of each size of
bottles and it must read "Consumption of liquor is injurious to
health" and "For sale in Assam only".
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Yes
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Indonesia
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Yes
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~
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Yes
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Japan
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~
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~
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Yes
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Kazakhstan
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~
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~
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Yes
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Latvia
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~
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~
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Yes
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Lithuania
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~
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~
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Yes
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Luxembourg
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~
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~
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Yes
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Malawi
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~
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~
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Yes
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Mauritius
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~
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~
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Yes
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Mexico
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Yes
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The
following health warning label must be displayed on alcoholic beverage
containers and advertisements: "El abuso en el consumo de este producto
es nocivo para la salud" (Excessive consumption of this product is
hazardous to health). The warning is to be used on all publicity and
promotional campaigns engaged in by producers and distributors. The General
Health Law Article 128 states: "All alcoholic beverage producers should
attach in contrasting colours, the following label, "Abusing consumption
of this product is harmful to health".
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Yes
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Mongolia
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Yes
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~
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Yes
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Nicaragua
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~
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~
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Yes
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Panama
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~
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~
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Yes
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Paraguay
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~
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~
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Yes
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Philippines
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~
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~
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Yes
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Poland
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~
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~
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Yes
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Portugal
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~
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~
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Yes
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Republic of Korea
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Yes
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One of
the following three warning statements, in Korean, must be placed on
alcoholic beverage containers each preceded by the word 'Warning'. The
English translations of the texts are as follows:* "Warning":
Excessive consumption of alcohol may cause liver cirrhosis or liver cancer
and is especially detrimental to the mental and physical health of
minors." * "Warning": Excessive consumption of alcohol may
cause liver cirrhosis or liver cancer, and especially, women who drink while
they are pregnant increase the risk of congenital anomalies." *
"Warning": Excessive consumption of alcohol may cause liver
cirrhosis or liver cancer, and consumption of alcoholic beverages impairs
your ability to drive a car or operate machinery and may increase the
likelihood of car accidents or accidents during work.
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No
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Slovenia
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~
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~
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Yes
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Spain
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Yes
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~
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No
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Taiwan
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Yes
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For
alcohol products having an alcoholic content of 7% or less, the warning
"excessive drinking endangers health" or other health warning
should be affixed on the label on alcohol containers. The color of the
warning should be in contrast with the background color of the advertising or
promotional materials.The Regulations governing the Labeling of the Alcohol
Products states that warning labels on alcohol products should be placed in a
conspicuous place on the container’s largest external surface. The warning
label, except on Ethyl alcohol, shall be labeled as “Excessive consumption of
alcohol is harmful to health” or one of the following: to be safe, don’t
drink and drive; excessive drinking is harmful to you and others; please do
not drink if you are a minor.
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Yes
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Thailand
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Yes
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The
warning should read "Warning: Drinking Liquor Reduces Driving
Ability" in the Thai language in bold characters at least 2mm high. On 4
July the Public Health Ministry's Food and Drug Administration issued a
regulation that all alcoholic products must bear the message, "Forbidden
to be sold to children under 18 years old". The regulation applies to
both domestic and imported products.
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Yes
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Ukraine
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~
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~
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Yes
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United States
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Yes
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All
alcoholic beverage containers must bear the following statement: GOVERNMENT
WARNING: "According to the Surgeon General, women should not drink
alcoholic beverages during pregnancy because of the risk of birth
defects."
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No
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Uruguay
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Yes
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Legislation
implemented in June 2001 states in Article 1: alcoholic beverage containers
should have a label advising on the risks of the excessive consumption of
alcohol. Article 2: The publicity or promotion of alcoholic beverages in all
its forms should include a warning on the risks of the excessive consumption
of alcohol. Article 3: The sale of those products that do not comply with the
requirements established in the articles 1 and 2 will be banned. Article 4:
Those violating the articles will be fined UYP 500. Article 5: Monies
received from the fine will be allocated to the Department of Public Health
to invest in public health campaigns.
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Yes
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Venezuela
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Yes
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One of
the following warning statements, or similar, is required: (i) "El abuso
de las bebidas alcoholicas puede danar la salud" (The abuse of alcoholic
beverages can damage the health) or; (ii) "El consumo en exceso puede
ser nocivo para la salud" (Excessive consumption can be harmful to
health).
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Yes
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Zimbabwe
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Yes
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Health
warnings state: "Alcohol may be hazardous to health if consumed to
excess; That operation of machinery or driving after the consumption of
alcohol is not advisable". Legislation was implemented on 16.09.90.
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Yes
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