China: Tobacco Merchants Call for Graphic Warning Delay

Source from:  Macau Business‎  11/01/2012

Local tobacco retailers want to continue selling tobacco products just with the existing text warning until April next year to avoid financial losses.
 
Sector representatives handed in a petition signed by 132 retailers to the Health Bureau yesterday, says a statement from Companhia de Tabaco Wai Tai Lda.

 
According to the new tobacco control rules approved last year, all tobacco products sold here must bear approved graphic health warnings starting January 2013.
 
Tobacco merchants claim the preparations were on hold for five months as the government only announced the guidelines for cigarette packaging last May.
 
They are worried they will not be able to clear all the non-compliant stock by December-end. Enditem