India to ban smoking in public places

South East Asia News.Net
Friday 20th July, 2007 (BigNewsNetwork.com)

New Delhi’s Union Cabinet has decided to toughen anti-smoking laws, restricting smoking in public places and the advertising of tobacco products.

An anti-tobacco campaign will be launched in October with an aggressive anti-smoking drive to be advertised in all Indian cinemas and on television.

The Health Ministry will be able to stipulate a pictorial warning on all tobacco products though tobacco manufacturers claim the proposed skull-and-crossbone illustration is too graphic.

A bid by the ministry to enforce a ban on smoking scenes in films last year also met with stiff opposition from filmmakers.

The tobacco law, in its present form, prohibits smoking in buses, restaurants and trains and also prohibits mass media advertising of tobacco products except at selling points.

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