Pictorial warnings on tobacco packs �from March 19�

The images containing damages caused for tobacco use and written texts are better known as Graphical Health Warning (GHW) are going to implement from March 19, reports BSS. The government has amended the Smoking and Using of Tobacco Products (Control) Act, 2005 by incorporating strong provisions removing loopholes that were in the law. After amending the law in 2013, Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) Rule, 2015 has formulated making pictorial health warnings on tobacco products mandatory, executive director of PROGGA ABM Zubair said. The PROGGA sources said the Article 11 of the International Treaty on Tobacco Control, Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) has directed to introduce the GHW. The sources said this is a non-price measure to control tobacco demands. Following the FCTC, it is suggested that 50 per cent exhibiting space on both the sides of the packets should contain GHW. Besides misleading information like light, low, mild etc. should also be omitted from the packets. The government of Bangladesh has made the 2005 anti-tobacco law stronger in 2013 by an amendment. Following the Section 10 of the amended law, the graphical health warnings shall be printed on top of both sides of tobacco packets, cover, carton or box covering at least 50% of the total area of each main display area.  Besides, following the law, seven images of smoking and two images of smoke-less tobacco shall be used. If the section of the law is violated, the punishment contains rigorous imprisonment less than six months or monetary fine less than Tk 200,000 or both and if the violations is done second time, the punishment will be doubled gradually.

Pictorial warnings on tobacco packs �from March 19�

The images containing damages caused for tobacco use and written texts are better known as Graphical Health Warning (GHW) are going to implement from March 19, reports BSS. The government has amended the Smoking and Using of Tobacco Products (Control) Act, 2005 by incorporating strong provisions removing loopholes that were in the law. After amending the law in 2013, Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) Rule, 2015 has formulated making pictorial health warnings on tobacco products mandatory, executive director of PROGGA ABM Zubair said. The PROGGA sources said the Article 11 of the International Treaty on Tobacco Control, Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) has directed to introduce the GHW. The sources said this is a non-price measure to control tobacco demands. Following the FCTC, it is suggested that 50 per cent exhibiting space on both the sides of the packets should contain GHW. Besides misleading information like light, low, mild etc. should also be omitted from the packets. The government of Bangladesh has made the 2005 anti-tobacco law stronger in 2013 by an amendment. Following the Section 10 of the amended law, the graphical health warnings shall be printed on top of both sides of tobacco packets, cover, carton or box covering at least 50% of the total area of each main display area. Besides, following the law, seven images of smoking and two images of smoke-less tobacco shall be used. If the section of the law is violated, the punishment contains rigorous imprisonment less than six months or monetary fine less than Tk 200,000 or both and if the violations is done second time, the punishment will be doubled gradually.