Tobacco prod to have pictorial warnings of cancer

New Delhi, Apr 11: Smokers beware! With every puff inhaled they would soon see pictures of corpses and adverse health impact of the habit like cancer, impotency and death in front of them Health Minister Anbumoni Ramadoss told reporters here today that from June 1, all tobacco products would carry a pictorial warning like corpses, difigurement caused due to cancer and smoking induced impotency.

It would be mandatory to place all these pictorial warnings on all tobacco products be it cigarettes, bidis or gutka.

Asked how the small cigarette or bidi packets would be able to have such pictures, Dr Ramadoss said that it was a mandatory requirement which the manufacturers would have to fulfil.

The ministry decided to introduce the pictorial warning on tobacco product as the written statutory warning was not having adequate impact in deterring people from smoking.

Regarding banning tobacco in any food products, Dr Ramadoss said that the prohibition would come into effect from August 1.

After which tobacco would not be allowed in any food item, he said.

UNI