Visual warning on ciggie packs: Docs fume as court dilutes rule


MUMBAI: Doctors and health activists are worried about the effects of slashing pictorial warnings on packages of cigarettes, bidis and various chewing tobacco products.

The Karnataka high court on Friday struck down the Cigarette and other Tobacco Products (Packaging & Labelling) Amendment Rules, 2014, that mandated 85% pictorial warnings on all tobacco products sold in India. The warnings came into effect from April 2016.

"The public health community is deeply anguished. Tobacco is the killer of 13 lakh innocent Indians, resulting in millions becoming widows or orphans," said oral cancer surgeon Dr Pankaj Chaturvedi of Tata Memorial Hospital.
 
Bhavna Mukhopadhyay of Voluntary Health Association of India said, "It's a very sad day for public health in India. These warnings were proven to be highly effective by the recent Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) conducted by Government of India to prevent millions from starting to use tobacco and even getting users to think about quitting."...Read more
 
Source web page:Times of India

 


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