NATIONAL ORGANISATION FOR TOBACCO ERADICATION (NOTE) India WELCOMES NEW SET OF HEALTH WARNINGS ON TOBACCO PRODUCTS

From Prakash Kamat in Panaji

August 27-National organisation for Tobacco Eradication(NOTE)and Consumer VOICE, New  Delhi, welcome the Health Ministry’s decision of new set of health warnings on all tobacco products.
The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare notified new sets of specified health warnings for all tobacco product packs by making an amendment in the Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products (Packaging and Labeling) Rules, 2008 vide GSR 331(E) dated 3rd April 2018“Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products (Packaging and Labeling) Second Amendment Rules, 2018”. The amended Rules are applicable w.e.f. 1st September 2018.
According to the notification the new health warning will be applicable from 1st September 2019.
As per the notification, during the rotation period two images of specified health warnings as notified in the schedule shall be displayed on all tobacco product packages the image would be rotated by a new set of images after the completion of twelve months from the date of commencement of first image.
Image-1 of the said notification came into effect from 1st September, 2018 and as such all tobacco products manufactured or packaged or imported on or after 1st September, 2019 shall display Image-2.
Dr. Shekhar Salkar , Hon secretary toldthis writer that tobacco not only causes direct cancer but also effects various other organs causing peptic ulcer, oesophagus cancer, prostrate, urinary bladder, and pancreas. Pictorial health warnings on tobacco products are the most cost-effective tool for educating on the health risks of tobacco use.
Telephone Quit-line number “QUIT TODAY CALL 1800-11-2356” is also the part of the health warning. This helps in creating awareness among tobacco users, and gives them access to counselling services to effect behaviour change. There shall be one common specified health warning for both smoking and smokeless forms of tobacco products.
Mr. Ashim Sanyal, COO, Consumer VOICE said “In a country like India, where people use several languages and dialects, the pictorial warning transcend the language and, in many cases, also the illiteracy barrier. Quit-line number is a better way of quitting tobacco addiction, and effective prevention for younger generation who initiate tobacco use."
The toll free Tobacco Quit-line Services [1800-11-2356] provides counseling and strategies for quitting tobacco use.
As per the recent second round of Global Adult Tobacco Survey [GATS -2, 2016-17] conducted in the age group 15 years and above, 61.9% of current cigarette smokers, 53.8% of current bidi smokers and 46.2% of current smokeless tobacco users thought about quitting because of warning label on packets of cigarette, bidi and smokeless
tobacco.(eom)