The Hindu Business Line : Snuffing out smoking with pictorial health warnings

Danger ahead
The pictorial warning is part of a three-component caution, including the skull-and-bones symbol and a health-warning in English or the same language in which the product is marketed. The pictorial health-warning would be across cigarette and beedi packs.

Mumbai , May 29

Smokers may have been told in no uncertain terms that cigarette smoking is injurious to health. But the Centre expects to snuff out the smoker's interest further, with graphic health warnings such as pictures of lungs affected by cancer, for instance, on cigarette packs.

Rules on pictorial health-warnings have been developed and tested and are awaiting the final green signal from the top brass of the Union Health Ministry. The rules are likely to be notified in a couple of months, a Ministry official told Business Line. The tobacco industry will be given time to re-work itspackages, he said.

This will, however, not be in time for the `World No Tobacco Day' on May 31.

The pictorial warning is part of a three-component caution, including the skull-and-bones symbol and a health-warning in English or the same language in which the product is marketed. The pictorial health-warning would be across cigarette and beedi packs, the official said. Gutkas too would be required to display these warnings, at a size that usually occupies half the pack, a representative with a health advocacy group clarified.

Countries such as Canada already have pictorial warnings on cigarette packs. The pictures carry tobacco-related messages that are either health-oriented or socially relevant. A series of such messages are given to the tobacco industry to be used in rotation, the health group representative said.

It's been three years since the tobacco control legislation was enacted in India. And yet, tobacco posters are seen in large numbers at the point-of sale, the health group representative observed. Also, the play on colour schemes or words similar to tobacco brands is now finding innovative vehicles for marketing. Like helmets with "Marlborne" written across it, she points out.

Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation (WHO) cautions that tobacco is "deadly in any form or disguise."

The tobacco industry's core strategy has not changed from bringing variants like `light', `mild' and `low tar' cigarettes. They now sell tobacco products disguised under healthier names, fruity flavours or more attractive-looking packaging, the WHO said.

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