Bengaluru: Come May 31, 85% of space on cigarette packs and other tobacco products should have pictorial warnings about their adverse health effects.
However, just six days before the rule comes into effect, there seems to be little movement on the ground to withdraw products without 85% pictorial warnings from the market. May 31 is No Tobacco Day .
The Centre had on April 1, 2016 brought in the 85% pictorial warning rule. Hearing a petition, the Supreme Court too directed tobacco manufacturing companies to comply with the rules to display pictorial warnings across 85% of the surface of packets of cigarettes and other products -up from 20%earlier.
On Wednesday , TOI found roadside traders still selling cigarettes packets without large pictorial warnings and unaware of the new rule. "If the cigarette pack has only horrible pictures of cancer patients, it will be repulsive. I don't smoke but the sales may drop.Maybe this would prompt many like me to start some other business," said Dayanada S, who runs a petty shop near Richmond Road.
The biggest challenge is to create awareness among roadside sellers, who make major sales.
According to the health department, enforcement has begun in all districts. "We have asked the home department to join hands with us in enforcement of section 7 of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), which mentions pictorial warnings. Police is the key department in implementing the rule seizing tobacco products that fail to adhere to the rule. If such products are sold in market, they will be illegal. But the change has begun. Some of the companies, like ITC, have come up with new packets with 85% pictorial warnings," said a senior official in the health department in charge of the tobacco control programme.
"With this we are aiming a bring about behavioural change, which is amammoth task," said a senior officer from the health department.
The warning signs play a significant role in reducing tobacco consumption and thus save many more lives from cancer, says Dr Vishal Rao, oncologist, public health consultant.
Resource :http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bengaluru/85-pictorial-warnings-on-tobacco-packets-in-six-days/articleshow/52442216.cms
However, just six days before the rule comes into effect, there seems to be little movement on the ground to withdraw products without 85% pictorial warnings from the market. May 31 is No Tobacco Day .
The Centre had on April 1, 2016 brought in the 85% pictorial warning rule. Hearing a petition, the Supreme Court too directed tobacco manufacturing companies to comply with the rules to display pictorial warnings across 85% of the surface of packets of cigarettes and other products -up from 20%earlier.
On Wednesday , TOI found roadside traders still selling cigarettes packets without large pictorial warnings and unaware of the new rule. "If the cigarette pack has only horrible pictures of cancer patients, it will be repulsive. I don't smoke but the sales may drop.Maybe this would prompt many like me to start some other business," said Dayanada S, who runs a petty shop near Richmond Road.
The biggest challenge is to create awareness among roadside sellers, who make major sales.
According to the health department, enforcement has begun in all districts. "We have asked the home department to join hands with us in enforcement of section 7 of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), which mentions pictorial warnings. Police is the key department in implementing the rule seizing tobacco products that fail to adhere to the rule. If such products are sold in market, they will be illegal. But the change has begun. Some of the companies, like ITC, have come up with new packets with 85% pictorial warnings," said a senior official in the health department in charge of the tobacco control programme.
"With this we are aiming a bring about behavioural change, which is amammoth task," said a senior officer from the health department.
The warning signs play a significant role in reducing tobacco consumption and thus save many more lives from cancer, says Dr Vishal Rao, oncologist, public health consultant.
Resource :http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bengaluru/85-pictorial-warnings-on-tobacco-packets-in-six-days/articleshow/52442216.cms
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