Enlarged pictorial warning on
tobacco products
1)
The
Centre deferred the rule requiring packaging of tobacco products to have
enlarged pictorial warnings from April 1.
2)
Union Health Ministry accepted the recommendation of Parliamentary
Committee on Subordinate Legislation to defer the rule on grounds that the
issue should be decided after consulting industry stakeholders.
3)
The amended Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Packaging and
Labelling) Rules, 2008, tobacco products
were required to carry stark images of diseases caused by the substance across
85 per cent of
the package area, against the current 40 per cent, to act as deterrents.
the package area, against the current 40 per cent, to act as deterrents.
4)
The amended rule is consistent with India’s obligations under the
World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.
5)
Pictorial Warning :
i.
there is a vast body of evidence showing that pictorial warnings
have more impact than text
ii.
such warnings can influence behaviour among the less-educated.
6)
The parliamentary committee has questioned that there are no India
specific studies linking cancer to tobacco use.
·
The stand has been ridiculed by the medical community
7)
Empirical studies
linking cancer with tobacco use :
a)
data show that regular smokers have a threefold higher risk of
death compared to similarly placed non-smokers, leading to the loss of a whole
decade of life.
b)
Similarly, cessation of smoking and other forms of consumption
leads to a significant increase in longevity
8)
situation around the
world :
i.
countries with enlightened public health policies are focussing on
tighter control measures using a combination of high taxes, a ban on advertising,
cessation support and changes to packaging rules
ii.
Australia has gone beyond pictorial warnings and introduced plain
packaging that eliminates brand recognition
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No comments:
Post a Comment