Done by the Rajasthan High Court and undone by the Karnataka High Court. That is the story of bigger warnings on tobacco packets in India.
It was the Rajasthan High Court that in July 2015 asked the government to implement a 2014 notification mandating 85% warnings (text and pictorial) on tobacco packs. On Friday the Karnataka High Court asked the earlier 40% warnings to be restored.
62% of cigarette smokers and 54% of bidi smokers thought of quitting because of warning label on the packets
“The second round GATS 2016-17 put all apprehensions to rest with a section on impact of large tobacco pack warnings showing 62% of cigarette smokers and 54% of bidi smokers thought of quitting because of warning label on the packets. Also, 46% of smokeless tobacco users thought of quitting because of the warning label on smokeless tobacco products, which are encouraging figures. Thanks to these images, there has been a change in perception, which is reason why 92% of adults surveyed believed smoking caused serious illness, and 96% said use of smokeless tobacco causes serious illness. Health warnings on tobacco products are the most cost-effective tool for educating on the health risks of tobacco use,” says Dr Pankaj Chaturvedi, head and neck cancer surgeon at Tata Memorial Hospital Mumbai.
The 85% warnings came with a lot of drama – removal of former minister Dr Harshvardhan from the health ministry, closely followed by that of then health secretary Keshav Desiraju set the grapevine buzzing. Then came arguments from MPs about how health effects of tobacco in Indians should be studied and that beedis are not as harmful as cigarettes. The fact that the government capitulated to a non-binding recommendation from a Parliamentary panel and delayed implementation of bigger warnings was also interpreted as a victory of the ways of the tobacco lobby.
According to Cigarette Package Health Warnings International Status Report that was released in 2016, India moved to 3rd position out of 205 countries that have pictorial health warnings on tobacco packages. India’s earlier ranking was 136 in 2014 and 123 in 2012. That position will naturally slip now.
“We don’t still know what yesterday’s Karnataka High Court Order exactly says as the lawyers present in Court are giving out contradictory versions about it. However, if the Bench has struck down the 85% pictorial warnings, then this order is a major setback for public health. It is critical to protect our youth from the dangers of tobacco and we must do everything to defend the Government’s decision of 85 percent pictorial warnings on all tobacco packages”, says Karnataka based Oncologist, Dr Vishal Rao.
Bhavna Mukhopadhyay of Voluntary Health Association of India said “It’s a very sad day for public health in India – these warnings were proven to be highly effective by the recent Global Adult Tobacco Survey conducted by Government of India to prevent millions from starting to use tobacco and even getting users to think about quitting”.
