Implementation of increased pictorial warning on tobacco products: NGOs urge to set date

New Delhi: NGOs and youth activists Friday urged the Centre to set a date for implementing the proposed increased pictorial warning on tobacco products, saying large warnings will prevent youth from experimenting with tobacco products.

Mired in controversy, the government has put on hold its decision to increase the pictorial warnings on tobacco products to 85 per cent from the present 40 per cent after a parliamentary panel urged it to wait till it submits its final report. The rule was to come into effect from April 1 this year.

"Young people realise the importance of leading a healthy and productive life and know that tobacco is a major impediment to our progress. We urge the Government to take immediate action because these pictures can save lives by warning young people about the dangers of tobacco use.

"We want to know when the 85 per cent pictorial health warnings will be implemented. We have written to the Prime Minister for an opportunity to meet him and submit our plea," Bahar Shoogufan, a youth health advocate of HRIDAY said during a conference jointly organised by it and Public Health Foundation of India where MP Baijayant Panda was also present.

As per the figures, around 20 lakh youth start consuming tobacco annually in India, which is ranked a low 136 among countries and territories worldwide in terms of package warning size.

Implementation of 85 per cent size for tobacco package warnings would place India in a position of international leadership.

Noting that youth play an integral role in society, Panda said that their voices count and must be heard.

"The battle for pictorial warnings has been ongoing and we must keep pushing for larger pictorial warnings and plain packaging of tobacco products. We, Parliamentarians are supporting the cause and twenty of us have written in support of larger pictorial warnings," he said.

The issue has been mired in controversy after a Parliamentary panel member, a 'beedi' baron, Shyama Charan Gupta advocated that beedis have no harmful effects.

Gupta's presence in the committee was criticised by the Opposition parties which sought his removal from the panel, saying there was a clear "conflict of interest".

The Parliamentary panel - Committee on Subordinate

Legislation - is reviewing the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Packaging and Labeling) Amendment Rules, 2014.

Significantly, Gupta's remarks were made barely days after the panel head Dilip Gandhi's statement that there was no Indian study to confirm that tobacco use leads to cancer, leaving the government embarrassed and rival parties and the medical fraternity gunning for him.

President, PHFI K Srinath Reddy said that India is losing over one lakh crore rupees to treat tobacco related diseases, a cost that can easily be reduced if strong action is taken on time.

"Implementing pictorial health warnings along with other tobacco control measures will cost the Government about five rupees per person per year, which is certainly an investment of a lifetime.

"I welcome and applaud the young voices who are demanding a future free from tobacco for their generation," said Reddy.

Another youth health advocate said that they were making "concerted" efforts to reach out to the policymakers and demand urgent implementation of the 85 per cent warnings.

"We have also launched an online campaign titled 'Pictures Save Lives' urging them to give us an actual date for the implementation of the 85 per cent pack warnings on tobacco products. This is our call to action requesting Indian parliamentarians' commitment in preventing youth from falling prey to tobacco use," said Devarshi Paul, HRIDAY youth health advocate.

In a special recorded message Rahul Dravid who is India's Ambassador for Tobacco Control, extended his support to the cause. He said that it is essential that large pictorial health warnings are placed on all tobacco packs to caution current and potential users against these deadly consequences.

Dravid in his message, also urged the Government to implement increased pictorial warnings at the earliest, PHFI statement later said.