The Hindu : National : Smoking to be banned in movies, television serials

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Wednesday, Jun 01, 2005

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National

Smoking to be banned in movies, television serials

Staff Correspondent

Amendments to the Tobacco Control Act notified

High-power committee to look into surrogate advertisements
Amendments include ban on sale of tobacco products through vending machines

Mandatory display of prominent scroll containing a warning

TENDER MESSAGE: An awareness walkathon on `No Tobacco Day' in Bangalore on Tuesday. — Photo: V. Sreenivasa Murthy

NEW DELHI: Smoking scenes in television serials and movies will be banned from August 1.

The Government on Tuesday notified amendments to the rules and regulations of the Tobacco Control Act seeking a ban on the display of tobacco products or their use by characters in movies and television programmes.

Speaking at a function here on "World No Tobacco Day," Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Anbumani Ramadoss said a high-power committee had been constituted to look into surrogate advertisements.

The amendments had been made to plug the loopholes in the Act.Cropping or masking the brand name or logo of tobacco products in pictures printed or broadcast is also included.

The amendments also ban the sale of products through vending machines and insist on the mandatory display of prominent scroll containing health warning when programmes produced before the notification having scenes with smoking situations and the use of other forms of tobacco are screened.

Company liable

While the sale of tobacco is banned, there were reports of violations, which will now make the tobacco company liable for penalty.

Only one advertisement board will be displayed at the place of sale of tobacco products.

The display of promotional messages and pictures should be avoided and the board should not be backlit or illuminated.

The committee, consisting of MPs, officials of the Ministry and voluntary organisations, were looking into complaints of surrogate advertisements.

He said a scientific report was being prepared in the Ministry which was examining the content of non-smoking tobacco products and also whether such products could be banned under the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act or the Tobacco Control Act.

The Minister said that the States were empowered to implement the Tobacco Control Act and violations had been brought to the notice of the State Governments.

Earlier, addressing the inaugural session of a workshop for health professionals, the Minister defended the Act saying that while the tobacco industry was worth about Rs. 35,000 crores, the Government and the private sector spent an equal amount treating people suffering fromtobacco-related diseases.

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