New pictorial warnings: Health ministry sticks to its guns

Sets 60 day deadline for cigarette retailers to clear old stock.

ISLAMABAD: The federal health ministry on Friday issued a statutory regulatory order (SRO) regarding an enhanced pictorial health warning on cigarette packets. 

The Ministry of National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination (NHSRC) has made further amendments in the Cigarette (Printing of Warning) Rules, 2009. Sharing details, a senior official of the ministry said on condition of anonymity that the new sub-rule directs that the health warning shall cover at least 85 per cent of the cigarette pack’s cover.

Another clause directs retailers to clear their stocks from the markets within 60 days and bring out cigarettes with the new pictorial warnings. The warning shall be printed from March 30 this year.

“The tobacco industry made immense efforts to pressurise the ministry to take back its decision [of using 85 per cent of the packet for pictorial warning], but failed,” he said.

He added that manufacturers believe the enhanced health warnings will cause a decline in revenue generation as it will negatively impact consumer demand for such cigarette packs as well as promote smuggled cigarettes (which do not have the pictorial warnings).

“The ministry has clearly conveyed the message that all efforts will be made to fulfill international commitments and there will be no compromise on issues pertaining to public health,” said the official.

In a letter to the commerce minister, the Pakistan Tobacco Board (PTB) — a semi-autonomous body tasked to promote tobacco farming — warned of major shortfall in revenue in case the new pictorial warning is forced. That letter was received with severe criticism.

TheNetwork for Consumer Protection — an anti-tobacco advocacy group — in reaction sent a letter to the Commerce Minister Khurram Dastagir Khan on Friday drawing his attention to the fact that it is not PTB’s mandate to advocate for the tobacco industry and thus become a tool in their hands, said a press release.

“TheNetwork opines that PTB, by writing the letter, is challenging steps taken by health ministry to curb the menace of tobacco, and has gone beyond its mandate which unfortunately is to promote tobacco crop and its export. This has been vividly enunciated in the PTB ordinance,” complained Nadeem Iqbal, the group’s executive coordinator in the letter.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 7^th, 2015.