The Union Health Ministry of India is planning to introduce the graphical health warning with the text warning on the packs of cigarettes. It will show the pictures of affected organs caused by smoking such as lungs affected by cancer. Many countries including Canada already have pictorial warnings on cigarette packs.
The proposal is in final phase and likely to be notified in couple of months. Earlier it was planning to introduced on ‘World No Tobacco Day’ on May 31. Moreover, Beedi and Gutkha packets too, will be required to display the graphical warning within some time.
The tobacco control legislation was enacted in India three years back. However, tobacco posters can be seen everywhere. The World Health Organisation (WHO) already warned that tobacco, found in any form or disguise, means certain death.
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