Come Dec, Tobacco Products to Pack a Deadly Punch

Source from:  in.news.yahoo.com By IE Wednesday October 10 10/11/2007

It's official now. Depicting images of cancerous tumours, decaying teeth and infected throat has been made mandatory on cigarette packets and all tobacco products manufactured after December 1, 2007. The decision had to be delayed twice this year - in February and then in June - due to opposition from the tobacco industry. The Cabinet then passed a legislation making the skull and bones sign "optional". In August, the Shimla High Court directed pictorial warnings on packets of tobacco products by October. But the Union Health Ministry asked for a two-month extension for moving a bill in Parliament to amend Section 7(1) of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act, which calls for a compulsory skull and crossbones warning on cigarette packets. The Government has now decided to make it mandatory that packets of all tobacco products, including those imported, will carry photographs of oral cancer patients and babies affected by passive smoking. Unlike the statutory warning currently carried, these pictures and accompanying messages in bold type will occupy at least 50 per cent of the display area. Fines will be slapped on those not complying with the directive. "Anybody who produces or manufactures cigarettes or tobacco products without the specified warning will face imprisonment of up to two years or a fine of Rs 5,000 or both. If the offence is committed for the second time, the imprisonment will be extended to five years with a fine of Rs 10,000 and for subsequent convictions, the imprisonment may extend to two years with a fine of Rs 3,000," said a senior official in the Ministry. The warnings will be in English and regional languages while the message and the picture to go with it will be rotated every 12 months by the Ministry. On the pack A skull and cross-bones symbol with "Smoking Kills" warning, a picture depicting the ill-effects of smoking, such as an infant suffering because of passive smoking or an oral cancer patient. Enditem