Various international public health organisations working on tobacco control have welcomed the central government's announcement regarding new pictorial health warnings for tobacco products.
In separate letters to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the organisations hailed the move and said the Indian government has demonstrated national and international leadership, setting high standards for other countries to follow.
The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on October 15 last year had issued a notification directing tobacco manufacturing companies to devote at least 85 per cent of the surface areas of all tobacco products on both sides to graphically and literally represent the statutory warning.
As per the notification issued by the ministry, beginning April 1, 2015, every tobacco product will carry on both sides pictorial depiction of throat cancer and a message in English, Hindi or any Indian language.
"The large and improved warnings on tobacco packs serve as a no-cost and proven mass education tool that can protect the health of our people. The best evidence of their efficacy lies in the tobacco industry's opposition to the warnings.
"Government needs to prioritise the nation's health over narrow commercial interests," said Shoba John, of Programme Director of Health Bridge, a not-for-profit corporation that supports health information technology adoption, health information exchange and the innovative use of information for improved health care outcomes.
The organisations which have written letters include American Cancer Society, Action on Smoking and Health Foundation, Cancer Research, UK, Cancer Council in Australia, Sri Lanka National Federation on Smoking & Health, Canadian Cancer Society, Resource Centre for Primary Health Care from Nepal and Smoke Free Partnership from Belgium.
The letters were also addressed to Union Health Minister J P Nadda.
