India to use Thailand`s anti-tobacco warning on cigarettes

New Delhi: Cigarette packets in India are all set to carry new anti-tobacco pictorial warning from Thailand. The new pictorial warning, which is faceless, will be notified by the Ministry of Health as a replacement for the controversial old one that bore the image of English footballer John Terry.

The Government of Thailand, which owns the copyright for the said warning, has permitted India to use these on cigarette products being marketed in India. "We had sought permission from Thailand and the World Health Organization to use the new warning since they hold the copyright. Thailand has given its no-objection to India and we will now notify the new pictorial warning for use on cigarette packets here," Health Ministry sources told PTI. The new warning was one in a set of four the Ministry had earlier received from the Department of Audio Visual Publicity (DAVP) as possible replacements of the earlier warning allegedly carrying Terry`s image. Since Thailand had the copyright for the said warning, the Health Ministry formally wrote to the Government there to seek permission for its use. India had been hunting for replacements of the old warning following threat of legal action by managers of John Terry. The new pictorial warning approved for use will carry the same message regarding the adverse public health impact of tobacco use that can damage the lungs. For the first time, a faceless anti tobacco warning will be approved for use in India, once notified by the Ministry. "After the notification, tobacco firms will be given time to comply with the new warnings," Ministry sources said. PTI