<strong>China: Taiwan Group Calls for Greater Oversight of Tobacco Companies</strong>

Source from:  Focus Taiwan 07/18/2014

A civic group urged the government Thursday to implement stricter inspections of tobacco companies, saying many of them have been using shady advertising techniques to lure customers.

The John Tung Foundation said several cigarette brands have adopted illegal promotional practices that include offering bigger packets at what they claim to be a reduced rate.

The new packets, many of them bearing more colorful images, in fact are sold at a higher rate, which is NT$0.1 (US$0.003) more per cigarette, according to the foundation's Chief Executive Officer Yau Sea-wain.

Over the past three years, tobacco companies have raised their product prices by NT$5-NT$10 per unit, making tens of billions of dollars at the expense of public health, the foundation said.

It also took issue with the size of cigarette warning labels, saying they should cover at least 80 percent of the pack instead of the current 35 percent.

The foundation urged the government to amend the Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act to allow increased oversight of tobacco sales and discourage smoking. Enditem