Issue 7
Tobacco Control in India
Fortnightly News Summary
NATIONAL HEADLINES
♦ Pictorial warning on tobacco products not during
UPA tenure: Ramadoss
Admitting defeat in ensuring pictorial health warnings on
packets of cigarettes and other tobacco products, India's
Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss Saturday said the
decision has been deferred by at least six months -- by
when the current United Progressive Alliance government
would have finished its term. (Source: The Hindu: 2 December
2008)
♦ Deferment of pictorial warnings gives beedi
workers a breather
The Union ministry of health and family welfare has
deferred its plan to enforce legislation that stipulates
printing of pictorial warning on beedi packets and tobacco
products by six months, giving a breather to the beedi
industry that employs 10 million workers across the
country. The All India Beedi Industry Federation had last
month said that as many as one million workers, mostly
women, employed in the industry will lose their jobs in the
next few months as a recent ban on smoking in public
places, together with the display of pictorial warnings on
packs, will discourage tobacco consumption, triggering a
fall in sales. (Source: Live Mint News: 5 December 2008)
♦ Tobacco warning may be postpone
The warning, due to be implemented from December 1,
was deferred to May 31 at a meeting on Monday.
According to sources, the beedi industry issued a strike
notice and this triggered the meeting. (Source: The Times of
India: 2 December 2008)
♦ Court won’t interfere with order on pictorial
warning on tobacco packs
A Division Bench of the Madras High Court has refused to
interfere with an order passed by a single judge vacating
the interim stay on Labelling Rules notified by the Centre
on March 15 making it mandatory to print specified
pictorial warnings in cigarette and other tobacco packets.
(Source: The Hindu: 2 December 2008)
♦ Poor in India-China have limited access to cardio-
treatment
Cardiovascular epidemic is making inroads in many low-
and middle-income countries (LMIC) like India and China,
but the poor have limited or no access to treatment
facilities. Disease risk factors like obesity, high blood
pressure, tobacco smoking and diabetes, are on the
increase in LMICs. (Source: Indo-Asian News Service: 4December
2008)
♦ Govt. Turns down request of broadcasters on
surrogate advt
Government has not acceded to the request of private
broadcasters to withdraw its notification prohibiting
surrogate advertising on television. In a written reply to
Lok Sabha here today, Minister of State for Information
and Broadcasting Anand Sharma said that Indian
Broadcasting Foundation (IBF) in a representation to the
ministry dated March 31, 2008 had requested it to
Provided by the Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use
1-12 December 2008
withdraw the notification prohibiting surrogate advertising
of alcoholic and tobacco products.
(Source: Press Trust of India: 4December 2008)
STATE HEADLINES, Chandigarh
♦ HC notice to petitioner on hookah ban
Taking up an application filed by a Sector-26 bar for
becoming a party to a PIL seeking directions against
hookah smoking in violation of law, the Punjab and
Haryana High Court yesterday issued notice for
December 22 to the petitioner, Burning Brains Society.
The bench has also directed the Chandigarh
administration to appraise the court about any complaints
received by it about such bars, and the action taken by
the authorities on the same. (Source: The Tribune, Chandigarh: 2
December 2008)
♦ Shun smoking to avoid heart attack: Expert
Smoking is a major cause of heart attack in men. And, if a
diabetic continues to smoke, that will be a deadly
combination,” says Prof Jagat Narula, chief of division of
cardiology, University of California, Irwin, while delivering
a lecture during Berry Memorial Oration at the PGI today.
The orator spoke on “Who get the heart attack?”. “One
should aim for a goal of at least 30-45 minutes of
moderate intensity physical activity on most days of the
week. Aerobic exercise is the one that is helpful for the
heart. (Source: The Tribune, Chandigarh: 2 December 2008)
♦ 5 Held for smoking in public
Its continuous drive against smoking in public places, the
local police on Tuesday arrested five persons while
smoking at public places, hospital and bus stand areas of
the town. Earlier on November 29, the police had arrested
10 persons in this connection from different local areas.
(Source: The Tribune, Chandigarh: 3 December 2008)
♦ Cenvat rate cut not to cover tobacco products:
Finance Ministry
There is no relief on the wallet for smokers and users of
tobacco products. The 4 percentage-point Cenvat rate cut
announced by the Government on Sunday as part of the
fiscal stimulus package does not cover tobacco products,
the Finance Ministry has said. “No change has been
made in the excise duty rates on petroleum products,
specific rated items and tobacco products,” a Central
Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) official said. (Source:
Hindu Business Line, Chandigarh: 9 December 2008)
♦ Banning on-screen smoking affects depiction of
reality: Bhatt
Noted film director Mahesh Bhatt today contended before
the Delhi High Court that ban on smoking scenes in films
and television programmes would prevent filmmakers
from depicting reality on silver screen. "I am not
glamourising smoking but depicting reality by showing
actors smoking in films," senior advocate Sandeep Sethi
appearing for the film-maker said, adding that any ban on
it would adversely impact depiction of reality in films.
(Source: Press Trust of India, Chandigarh: 2 December 2008)
♦ Double stand on tobacco irks experts
 Issue 7
At an international forum, the government is advocating
plain packaging in which tobacco products have only the
brand name and pictorial warning. However, at home, it is
delaying implementation of pictorial warnings on tobacco
products. (Source: Mail Today, New Delhi: 2 December 2008)

Provided by the Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use