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| April 24, 2003 | Thursday | Safar 21, 1424 |
Guidelines on checking tobacco ads soon
ISLAMABAD, April 23: The government will issue guidelines, requiring advertisers not to relate cigarette promotions with sports, adventure, taste, success in life and glamour.
This was stated at a meeting of an Implementation Committee of smoking ordinances, presided over by health minister Mohammad Nasir Khan here on Wednesday.
The guidelines will be issued under two ordinances — prohibition of smoking and protection of non-smokers health ordinance 2003, and cigarettes (printing of warning) (amendment) ordinance 2002 — being implemented from May 31, 2003.
All advertisers, including TV and radio channels, will have to follow the guidelines issued by the health ministry.
The implementation committee meeting was attended by stakeholders, including representatives of health ministry, provincial health departments, agriculture, industries, and NGOs.
The purpose of the meeting was to discuss implementation of the two ordinances. The minister said the ordinances aimed at protecting masses from the hazards of smoking.
The prohibition of smoking ordinance, promulgated on October 15, 2002, bans smoking at public places like offices, hospitals, educational institutions, and in public transport vehicles. It also prohibits sale of cigarette to minors, and within 50 meters of educational institutions.
Similarly, the cigarette (printing and warning) ordinance is meant for printing of new health warnings on cigarette packs in the light of new research and health hazards of smoking. The government has already constituted a high-level committee, comprising distinguished members of the society, NGOs, tobacco industry and other stakeholders, to reach a consensus on making warnings on cigarette packs more effective.
The law also imposed a penalty, ranging from Rs1,000 to Rs100,000, in case of violating the law. Punishment, in certain cases, also suggested three months imprisonment. Any authorized officer or a police officer, not below the rank of sub-inspector, can make a person leave a public place for violating the law.
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