cause of premature births and impaired fetal growth. According to epidemiological estimates, pregnant women who smoke have almost double the risk of low birth weight and three times the risk of premature births than pregnant women who do not smoke. (For more information, please visit the Ministry of Health home page at www.mhlw.go.jp/topics/tobacco/main.html.)) (Tobacco smoke adversely affects the health of people around you, especially infants, children and the elderly. When smoking, be careful not to annoy others.) (The degree may differ from person to person, but nicotine [in cigarettes] causes addiction to smoking.) (Smoking while underage heightens the addiction and damage to health caused by cigarettes. Never smoke, even if encouraged to by those around you.) Laos In Laos, a variety of warnings with graphic, disturbing images of tobacco-related harms (including mouth cancer and rotting teeth) are placed prominently on cigarette packages. Malaysia In Malaysia, general warning as a mandatory on all Malaysian cigarette packaging are in force since June 1976. (Warning from the Government of Malaysia: Smoking endangers health) Starting 1 June 2009, The Malaysian government has decided to place graphic images on the cigarette packs to show the adverse long-term effects of excessive smoking, replacing the general warning with text describing the graphic images printed in Malay (front) and English (back) explaining: "Rokok penyebab ..." "Cigarette causes ..." Graphic warning messages must consist 40% of the front of cigarette packages and 60% in the back. After the introduction of graphic images in Malaysian cigarette packaging, the branding of cigarettes as "light", "mild", etc. is forbidden. Maldives In Maldives, products containing tobacco are required by law to have (in Dhivehi): At the front and back of the pack A health warning eg. Smoking gives you a painful death () A cessation message eg. Stop quickly! () A graphic image (eg. cut open body showing lung cancer) Description of the image On the sides of the pack Explanatory message of complications caused by tobacco eg. Tobacco contains 250 poisonous chemicals. These poisons damage vital organs of the body, causing cancer, stroke, lung damage, and other such painful illnesses. () Get help from a health professional to save yourself! () Mexico Since 2010, cigarette packs in Mexico must contain health warnings and graphic images. By law, 30% of the pack's front, 100% of the pack's rear and 100% of one lateral must consist on images and warnings. The Secretariat of Health