Under pressure from the tobacco industry, the Union health ministry has decided to make changes in the “ratio” of pictorial warnings to be used on tobacco products. While, the tobacco industry was supposed to come out with new pictorial warnings from April 1, 2013 on their products, they approached the ministry suggesting changes in the notified warnings and failed to adhere to the deadline.
More than two weeks, senior officials in the health ministry revealed that it has been decided to make amendment in the notification.
The new set of pack warning rules to be implemented on both smoking and chewing tobacco products included insertion of the word “warning” in red font. Provision of maintaining a ratio (075:1) between the vertical length and horizontal length of the health warning.
However, the tobacco industry approached the ministry asking to make the ratio more flexible.
While, the new rules also specified that tobacco product retailers and distributors who fail to comply will face legal consequences with a fine extending to `1,000; imprisonment up to one year or both under Section 20 of Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act, 2003 (COTPA) and that tobacco product manufacturers could face fines up to `5,000 or imprisonment up to two years or both on the first conviction, noting that it is a minor change that the industry has asked for, the ministry has decided to succumb to the pressure of the industry.
“We admit the non compliance of the notification by them but they say that there are practical problems. So, to meet their concern we are expected to change the ratio from 0.75:1 to 0.78:1,” said an official in the ministry.
***
Officials to meet producers on film spots
age correspondent
NEW DELHI, APRIL 16
Clarifying that the diseases cannot be shown in an “aesthetic” manner, the Union health ministry officials are going to Mumbai to meet the Producers Guild Of India that have expressed their reservations on depiction of new tobacco rules in movies.
Lamenting that the health spots and the disclaimer shown before the beginning of the as “raw”, “repulsive”, “gory”, some of the producers have expressed their concern and reservation to comply to the rules.