India
Indian Government Tightens Tobacco Control
By Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, India
May 31, 2005, 20:05

The Government has notified amendments to the rules and regulations and brought in additional rules to plug the loopholes in the existing provisions under the Tobacco Control Act. The amendments notified today will take effect from 1st August, 2005. The additional amendments to the rules are:

a. Ban on sale of tobacco products by minors.

As already reported the Government issued a notification last year banning the sale of tobacco products to minors. In case of violation, the tobacco company will be penalized.

b. Ban of sale of tobacco products through vending machines.

This provision has been made in view of complaints that tobacco products are being sold to minors through vending machines.

c. Stacking of tobacco products at the point of sale to be made in a manner to prevent easy access to persons below the age of 18 years.

d. Ban on display of tobacco products or their use by characters in movies and television.

e. Mandatory display of prominent scroll containing health warning when programmes containing scenes with smoking situations and use of other forms of tobacco have been produced before this notification and later on screened.

f. Cropping or masking of the brand name or logo of tobacco product if it forms part of any picture printed or aired through any form of electronic media.

g. Clear definition of indirect advertisement which, inter-alia, includes ban on advertisement of non-tobacco products bearing the same brand name of tobacco products etc.

h. Only one board of advertisement will be displayed at the point of sale of tobacco products which will avoid display of promotional message and picture and the board will not be backlit or illuminated.

Announcing the amendments to the rules at a press conference here today the Union Health and Family Welfare Minister, Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss said that a High Powered Committee is being set up consisting of Members of Parliament, representatives of Health and Information and Broadcasting Ministries and NGOs to look into complaints or grievances relating to indirect advertisements including the question of whether a product is a stand alone product or a brand extension.

Answering a question relating to ban on non-smoking tobacco products like pan masala and gutka, the Minister said that a scientific report is under preparation in the Ministry which is examining the content of non-smoking tobacco products as also the question of whether such products could be banned under the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act or the Tobacco Control Act.

Dr. Anbumani said that states have been empowered to implement the Tobacco Control Act and violations of the Act have been brought to the notice of the State Governments for action. He expressed satisfaction about the implementation but said more needs to be done for awareness creation especially on provisions relating to smoking in public places.

Earlier, addressing the inaugural session of a workshop for the health professionals on the occasion of the World No Tobacco Day today, the Minister defended the Tobacco Control Act saying that while the tobacco industry in India is worth about Rs.35,000 crores, the Government and the private sector are spending an equal amount in treating people suffering from diseases arising out of tobacco use. On the question of alternative employment for tobacco growers in the country, the Minister offered to use them for the cultivation of medicinal plants which are required as ingredients in the Indian systems of medicine. Under the Department of Indian Systems of Medicine, a National Medicinal Plant Board encourages and incentivises cultivation of medicinal plants used in traditional treatment.

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