The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that despite warnings on one's health printed on cigarette packs in China, the warning has failed to elevate awareness across the country on the risks of smoking.

Based on a report released by the International Tobacco Control Policy Evaluation Project (ITCPEP) and the WHO onTuesday, text-only warnings are not effective and the recommend the use of picture based warnings on health risks as a possible better option to curb smoking in China.

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Twenty percent of the 1 billion adult Chinese citizens, or roughly 200 million, are smokers.

Three thousand of its citizens each day, or one million people each year, die from smoking related illnesses.

China is marked by WHO as the world's largest tobacco consumer.

The report on the failure of the text-only warning was based on a three-round annual survey conducted from 2006 to 2009 f 5,000 adult smokers and 1,00 non-adults in six Chinese cities.

The World Health Organization representative to China, Bernhard Schwartlander, says large graphic representations on the damages of smoking to one's health are a more effective deterrent to smoking.

The WHO representative also stressed that this shift will become more effective in spreading awareness on smoking, one of China's leading health hazards.

Schwartlander says the pictures will help smokers think again before lighting their next stick.

China is a signatory to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control but it has not complied with the provisions of  Article 11 guidelines.

The convention requires cigarette and tobacco manufacturers of the host country to place photo warnings on packages.

A deputy director for the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CCDCP), Liang Xiaofeng, says the people of China traditionally include cigarettes as traditional gifts to friends.

Most Chinese cigarettes and tobacco use colorful labelling and packaging, and placing a graphic image of a destroyed lung is not entirely acceptable.

Liang admits that cigarette packaging in China is still behind in complying with international standards.

The CCDCP also agrees that gold colored text-only warning is not effective in reducing the number of smokers across the country.

The agency added that cigarette makers will resist the change unless the Chinese government seriously imposes sanctions and penalties for failure to comply.

Some add that the government may think twice in implementing the WHO recommendation.

China National Tobacco Corporation, the world's largest cigarette maker, contributes nearly seven percent to the annual national revenue.

The text-only warning on cigarette packs was first introduced in 2008.

Liang hinted that China might introduce legislation in 2015 where smoking in public places will  be banned but requiring cigarette makers to change their labels is not expected to be included.