Driven apparently by the logic “out of sight, out of mind”, the British government on Friday imposed a ban on the display of cigarette packets in shops, saying the move was aimed at discouraging young people from taking to smoking.
Cigarette packets disappeared from supermarket shelves across England and went literally under the counter as the long-threatened ban finally came into force amid fury among smokers who denounced it as yet another “assault” on their freedom on top of the existing ban on public smoking.
Small shops have been spared for now and given three years to refit suitable shelves and counters to “hide” cigarette packets.
The government cited the Irish experience which, it claimed, showed that the measure could help in preventing young people from turning to smoking.
“We cannot ignore the fact that young people are recruited into smoking by colourful, eye-catching, cigarette displays. Most adult smokers started smoking as teenagers and we need to stop this trend,” said Public Health Minister Anne Milton.
No evidence: critics
Critics, however, said there was no evidence from countries where such a ban already existed that it had stopped young people from smoking.
Anti-smoking campaigners welcomed the move saying it would contribute to a healthy lifestyle.
“It's essential that we create a culture that promotes and protects public health and tobacco legislation is a significant factor in making this happen,” said Jo Butcher, of the National Children's Bureau. Cancer Research U.K. went a step further and demanded a ban on branding of cigarette packets as well.
“Of course we want to see the pack branding taken away as well. This is not a normal consumer product, it kills people. We want to protect the next generation of children,” said a spokesperson.
Other countries where display is banned include Canada, Ireland, Iceland and Finland. A move by Scotland to introduce a similar ban has been delayed by protests from tobacco companies.
Keywords: cigarette packets, display ban, British health laws
May i have your kind attention of the citizens of India on the
following
:Rules relating to prohibition of advertisement, promotion and
sponsorship of Cigarettes and other tobacco products as cited in
Gazette Notification G.S.R.345 (E) Dated 31st May, 2005
subrule 5) The owner or manager or in-charge of the affairs of a place
where cigarettes and other tobacco products are sold shall not display
tobacco products in such a way that they are visible so as
to prevent easy access of tobacco products to persons below the age of
eighteen years.
The Central Government dated 9th June, 2010 constituted a Steering
Committee, with the Members, to take action regarding violations of
Section 5 of the COTPA Act
unfortunately all these rules remain on paper and the committee
remains non functional at national and state level
a complaint has been lodged against telecast of Godfrey Philips
Bravery Awards on NDTV on 14 April 2012
Scotland and England are parts of Britain. If the ban on the display of cigarettes on
shop shelves has yet to take effect in Scotland, is the ban that Mr Hasan Suroor has
written about a ban by Britain or a ban by England? What is the position in Wales and
Northern Island? Can shopkeepers and supermarkets display cigarettes on their
shelves?
pls try to follow in india mainly in tamilnadu otherswise youngers are quickly die before old person, i hate public smoking pls try to control that and save all.....
Please Email the Editor