Tobacco Control Act amended — no smoking on film screens

Our Corporate Bureau
01 June 2005

New Delhi: Film scenes or programmes containing smoking scenes or, showing use of other forms of tobacco will be accompanied by a prominent scroll containing a health warning, according to one of several amendments to the Tobacco Control Act notified by the Government on the World No Tobacco Day.

The notification comes into effect from August 1, 2005 and bans the display of tobacco products or their use by characters in movies and television, besides the mandatory scrolling of a health warning in the existing scenes of smoking.

The government has also notified a set of added rules and regulations including "the cropping and masking of brand names or logos of tobacco products if it forms part of any picture printed or aired through any form of electronic media," in order to tighten the loopholes in the existing provisions under the Act.

The other amendments in the Tobacco Act include ban on sale of tobacco products to minors and through vending machines. This also stipulates that the stacking of tobacco products at the point of sale be done in a manner to prevent easy access to persons below 18 years.

Apart from this, surrogate advertising, that is advertisements of non-tobacco products with the same brand name as a tobacco product has also been banned. Also retailers can only display one board of advertisement at the point of sale of tobacco products, and avoid display of promotional message, picture and illumination and back lighting.

Union health and family welfare minister Dr Anbumani Ramadoss said a high-power committee is being set up comprising members of parliament, representatives of health and information and broadcasting ministries and NGOs to look into complaints or grievances relating to indirect advertisements, including whether a product is a standalone product or a brand extension.