Thailand: Big Cigarette Warnings Draw Dissent

Source from:  Bangkok Post (th)  03/13/2013

Two government departments have urged the Public Health Ministry to reconsider its plan to alter the size of the graphic warnings on cigarette packs.

The Department of Intellectual Property and the International Trademark Association have jointly issued a complaint to Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and Public Health Minister Pradit Sintawanarong.

They pointed out that the new adjustment contravenes intellectual property regulations under Thai legislation, breaks the Thai Trademark law and violates international treaties.

Trademark owners will lose their valuable assets and the action might also spark conflict with the World Trade Organisation, they added

The Thai Tobacco Trade Association (TTTA) has stated that bigger warning graphics will have a negative impact on the management of retailers and small stores across the country such as the supplying and servicing process.

"The announcement shocked the retailers. There weren't any warnings or call for discussion. The well-being of about 480,000 Thai retailers is more important than just making a world record," said TTTA Executive Director Varaporn Namatra.

Authorities have claimed that new regulations require explicit photos and warnings that will take up almost the entire front of every cigarette packet, bigger warnings than any other country's.

The association said the ministry must reconsider the people who will be affected by the modification before continuing its plan. Health policies can be accomplished without using extreme measures, it said

Mr Varaporn said, "Tobacco industries have recently recovered from the tax rise in the past year, are pressured by the drafting of the Tobacco Consumption Control Act, and now they also have to be worried about the unnecessary adjustments" to the warnings.

"TTTA has been looking forward to cooperate with the government on improving tobacco policy to reduce the amount of smokers. However, the policies that the government introduced are not only unnecessary but also too extreme."

The ministry announced on Feb 1 that it was considering making the graphic warnings on cigarette packs 85% of the package space, from the current 55%, in an effort to further curb smoking.

If the plan is approved, Thailand would have the world's largest cigarette warning graphics, surpassing Australia where they cover 82.5% of the space on packets.

Anti-smoking advocates have supported the plan as it could curb smoking in the country. Enditem