The Health Ministry has directed all state governments to ensure that new set of health warnings with enhanced pictorial images is implemented on all tobacco products.
Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan, in a recent letter to chief secretaries and administrators of all states, said effective implementation of the Rules depends on concerted efforts of all ministries and departments concerned of the Government of India as well as state governments. “Any person engaged directly or indirectly in the manufacture, production, supply, import or distribution of cigarettes or any tobacco products shall ensure that all tobacco product packages shall have specified health warnings exactly as prescribed,” he said. “Violation of the mentioned provision is punishable offence with imprisonment or fine as prescribed in Section 20 of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act, 2003.”
The ministry believes that the depiction of specified health warnings would bring greater awareness and sensitization about the serious and adverse health consequences of tobacco use, especially among the youth, children and the illiteral. The Union Health Ministry has also notified the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Packaging and Labelling) Rules on March 15, 2018.
Over the years, the rules have been amended for display of specified health warnings on all tobacco product packs, mandating the display of specified health warnings on both sides of tobacco product packages covering 85 per cent of the principal display area. The specified health warnings, according to rule five of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Packaging and Labelling) Rules, the specified health warning on tobacco product package shall be rotated every 24-months.
Also Read: States prepare cold chain storage and transportation for COVID-19 vaccine
According to the rules, during the rotation period of 24-months, two images of specified health warnings as notified in the schedule shall be displayed on all tobacco product packages, and each of the images shall appear consecutively on the package with an interregnum period of 12-months.
