The government is likely to announce new norms for labelling of tobacco products which will necessitate pictorial warnings and mentioning of nicotine and tar content on the packets. ‘‘A stringent notification fixing new norms for tobacco packaging and labelling will be issued soon,’’ Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss said at the inauguration of the 4th World Assembly on ‘Tobacco Counters Health’.According to figures, India reports 8 to 10 lakh deaths tobacco-related deaths every year. ‘‘Under the proposed notification, nicotine and tar content would have to be mentioned on the packets of tobacco products. Besides, tobacco packaging would no longer have innocuous looking messages but picturised and bold warnings,’’ the minister said.As a signatory to the framework convention on tobacco control, India has enacted an anti-tobacco act which bans smoking in public places, advertisements of tobacco products and sale of tobacco products near educational institutions and to minors. The new notification would be a part of this Act. Emphasising that advocating anti-tobacco habits would be one of the major public health challenge for the coming generation, Ramadoss said according to a WHO study, 76 per cent Indian films promote smoking among youths.
