Stubbing out tobacco menace

The Government is set to combat the tobacco menace with a vengeance. So even as 8216;tobacco rules8217; wait for a go-ahead from the Minis...

The Government is set to combat the tobacco menace with a vengeance. So even as 8216;tobacco rules8217; wait for a go-ahead from the Ministry of Law, the Ministry of Health has ratified the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control FCTC, the first international treaty to curb tobacco-related deaths and disease.

By adopting the World Health Assembly treaty, India has become the seventh country, as also the largest in the world, to do so. 8216;8216;While tobacco rules will be implemented from May 1 this year, we have ratified the FCTC to show our commitment in curbing tobacco-related illnesses,8217;8217; said Health Secretary J.V.R. Prasada Rao.

He said the FCTC requires the countries to impose restrictions on tobacco advertising, sponsorship and promotion, establish new packaging and labelling of tobacco products with strong health warnings, establish clean indoor air controls by imposing restrictions on smoking in public places and strengthen legislation to check illicit trade in related products.

8216;8216;The FCTC would be implemented globally once 40 countries sign it. Our tobacco bill covers more or less the same areas,8217;8217; Rao said.

In the rules to be implemented soon, the Government has banned direct and indirect advertisements of all tobacco products. This has been made a cognizable offence; in the first conviction, two years8217; imprisonment and a fine of Rs 1,000 can be awarded while a second conviction can attract jail upto five years and a fine of Rs 5,000.

The rules also ban smoking in public places and selling tobacco products to minors. The offenders would be fined Rs 200.

All provisions in the Tobacco Bill passed by Parliament on May 18, 2003, will be implemented in a phased manner. It includes ban on sale of tobacco products within 100 yards of educational institutions and mandatory pictorial warnings for the benefit of illiterate persons. It also has a provision to indicate the nicotine and tar contents on packets and cartons of all the products.