[Intl-tobacco] India: Gory images to deter smokers

[robert weissman]

The Hindu
June 26, 2005
Gory images to deter smokers

Ramya Kannan

Nothing can be considered excessive in the battle against tobacco: Anbumani

# All cigarette vending machines to be closed
# Advertisement of particular brands of cigarettes banned
# Minors banned from selling cigarettes
# Cigarettes not to be sold within 100 metres of educational institutions

CHENNAI: Unfazed by the criticism of its order banning smoking scenes in
films, the Union Health Ministry will introduce several "pro-health,"
anti-cancer measures to control the advertisement and sale of
cigarettes, according to Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss.

In three months, tobacco companies will be required to carry pictorial
warnings on cigarette packs of the harmful effects of smoking, he told
The Hindu in an interview on Saturday.

About 50 per cent of the space on a pack should be allocated for the
warning images. "In many countries in the West, this is already in
force. They use images of babies affected by their mother's smoking, the
ravages of cancer on smokers, etc., in addition to the statutory
warning," Dr. Ramadoss said.

The Ministry was seeking to replicate the strategy. "We are going
through the models, pictures and images that the tobacco companies will
have to put on their packs. I have no hesitation in adding that we are
going to choose some of the most horrific, gory images to print on the
cigarette cases." Nothing could be considered excessive in the battle
against tobacco. Smoking killed about 700,000 people every year.

The Ministry had banned the advertisement of particular brands and would
wind up all cigarette vending machines. Hitherto, cigarettes could not
legally be sold to minors. Now, minors were barred from selling
cigarettes. Also, they should not be sold within 100 metres of
educational institutions.

Justifying the ban on smoking scenes in films, Dr. Ramadoss said, "it
was not taken just like that or in haste." A number of reports globally
linked the smoking habit to the influence of movies. One report quoted
52 per cent of children interviewed as saying movies were the reason
they took to smoking.

He said film stars had a huge influence on the audience and people were
willing to ape what their heroes did on the screen.

Actors helped launch several public health campaigns, be it polio or
eye-donation. "They have helped true causes as well, but the flip side
of their influence cannot be wished away or ignored," Dr. Ramadoss said.