India: Pictorial Warnings On Cigarette Packs

The central government is set to enforce pictorial warnings of oral cancer on all packets of cigarettes manufactured in the country by early 2008.

India, a signatory to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, had issued an order earlier this year stating that all cigarette packets will have warning labels like "Tobacco Kills" in both English and regional languages, and specifying: "Your smoking kills babies, Tobacco causes slow, painful death, or tobacco kills 2,500 Indians every day."

Manufacturers found flouting the rules would face up to two years in prison and a fine.

India has a poor record of implementing government leglistion on tobacco control. Smokers ignored an order, issued three years ago, against smoking in public places like playgrounds, clubs, restaurants and railway stations.

250 million people in India use tobacco, resulting in the death of over 900,000 people every year and it is estimated that ten million children below the age of 15 either smoke or consume tobacco.

Meanwhile, the tobacco industry argues that India does have strong tobacco control policies, namely, a ban on advertisements in public places and in media (TV, print and radio). They say the best form of discouraging people from smoking or chewing tobacco would be to educate them. They fear "pictorial warnings" would leave a bad taste in the mouth of the consumer.

But Gupta thinks otherwise. He said there are many countries like Thailand, Singapore and Brazil that have adopted strong tobacco control policies for many years, yet no reports have come forth showing a drop in tobacco generated revenues in these countries.

Gupta said, "These products are taxed at an extremely low level. Only by adopting comprehensive tobacco control strategies can the central and state government improve public health."