India ranks shamefully low in a new report that put countries according to how successfully they managed to introduce pictorial health warnings on tobacco packets — a proven strategy that deters people from smoking or chewing tobacco.
According to the Cigarette Package Health Warnings: International Status Report, which was released at the fifth session of the Conference of the Parties to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) in Seoul, South Korea, India ranked 123 among 198 countries surveyed on warning size and fulfilment of requirements for picture-based warnings on cigarette packets.
Under the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), an international treaty signed and ratified by India, the parties are required to carry health warnings on all packages of tobacco products describing the harmful effects of tobacco use. The warnings “should be 50% or more of the principal display areas, but shall be no less than 30% of the display areas”, and include pictorial warnings.
In fact, India slipped further down from its earlier rank. “India was at forefront of demanding effective and visible picture-based health warnings on tobacco packs at the negotiations of FCTC in 2003. It is regretful that India occupies the 123 position among countries with health warnings, said Bhavna Mukhopadhyay, executive director Voluntary Health Association of India.