Government to increase pictorial warnings on tobacco products

By NewsGram Staff Writer

In order to reduce the consumption of tobacco, the government on Friday assured the Lok Sabha that it would increase the size of the pictorial warning on all the tobacco products.

Earlier, two of the BJP members of the parliamentary panel had made the controversial remarks, questioning that if there is a link between smoking and cancer.

However, to prevent the criticism for keeping a hold on the decision on larger pictorial warnings, the health minister J P Nadda said, "The government will see to it that the size of the health warnings on the tobacco products increases."

"There is a direct relation between the consumption of tobacco and cancer. The ministry is consistent and crystal clear in its efforts to reduce tobacco consumption. We will go ahead once the panel submits its report," added Nadda as the opposition members attacked the government in Lok Sabha over the statements made by the BJP members of the Parliamentary Committee of Subordinate Legislation.

As of now the government has put a hold on the decision, which will make it mandatory for tobacco firms to have 85 per cent pictorial warning on tobacco products. Earlier, this rule was supposed to come in effect from April 1.