Skull and cross bones to vanish from cigarette packs

New Delhi, Aug 20 (UNI) The dangerous looking skull and cross bones will soon disappear from the packets of tobacco products as the Centre today introduced an amendment Bill in the Lok Sabha, seeking to make printing of such pictorial warnings optional, not mandatory.

The amendment comes in the light of ''religious sentiments expressed by certain sections of society,'' according to the statement of objects and reasons of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (prohibition of advertisement and regulation of trade and commerce, production, supply and distribution) Amendment Bill, 2007.

The Bill was introduced by Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss.

The original Act (2003), which made pictorial depiction of skull and cross bones mandatory, was enacted mainly for taking effective steps to discourage the use of tobacco and tobacco products so as to protect public health.

UNI