Glare on Tobacco 'Relief'

Source from:  OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT telegraphindia.com New Delhi, July 21 07/23/2007

Consumer activists today warned that they may challenge the government decision to virtually blank out pictures of skull and bones on tobacco products, dubbing it as a retrograde step that will harm public health. The cabinet had approved on Friday moves that would enable the government to amend a 2003 tobacco control law and make the portrayal of skull and bones on such products "optional". Activists are arguing that no manufacturer would opt to print an image of skull and bones - a well-recognised sign of danger - on their products unless it is mandatory. "This is a complete surrender to the tobacco lobby," said Bejon Misra, executive director of Consumer Voice in New Delhi. "With this move, the government has established that public health is not a priority on its agenda," he said. "It's going to harm consumers' health, and we may consider challenging it in a court of law," Misra said. The non-government Voluntary Health Association of India is also likely to seek legal opinion to determine whether a PIL can be filed challenging the proposed amendment, a senior VHAI official said. "It's a retrograde step. Making pictures of skull and bones optional is meaningless. Who's going to print it?" said Prakash Gupta, a cancer epidemiologist. Enditem