The Hindu : Karnataka News : Centre urged to act on display of warning on tobacco products

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Tuesday, Jan 22, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka

Centre urged to act on display of warning on tobacco products

Special Correspondent

PANAJI: The National Organization for Tobacco Eradication (NOTE, India), a non-governmental organisation, has accused the Centre of dilly dallying over the implementation date for the display of pictorial warning on tobacco products.

“In spite of an urgent call for action by the Shimla High Court recently and society from time to time, the Government has not indicated a final decision on the date and nature of warning,” said Dr. Shekhar Salkar, General Secretary of NOTE, here on Saturday.

NOTE said that the implementation date had been deferred from June 1, 2007 and postponed four times thereafter.

Lobby

Accusing the Government of giving in to the tobacco lobby, NOTE said that tobacco claimed around one million lives annually in India. It expressed fears that the toll was likely to exceed two million a year in the next 20 years.

NOTE said the tobacco industry and the Government had a duty to provide a clear communication of health risks of tobacco use.

Dr. Salkar said that pictorial warnings had been introduced in countries such as Thailand, Singapore, and Brazil, Chile and South Africa.

He said that NOTE had urged the group of Ministers appointed by the Government to take a decision on the issue soon.

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