The World Health Organisation has said the economic burden attributable to tobacco-related diseases is a staggering Rs 1,04,500 crore annually in the country and has pitched for large size warnings on packs to control tobacco consumption in a cost-effective manner. “The economic burden at tributable to tobacco-related diseases is a staggering Rs 1,04,500 crore annually in the country, while the human cost is nearly a million deaths,” according to a statement by WHO representative in New Delh Henk Bekedam.
Calling for large and prominent health warnings on the packs of tobacco products, he said past experiences have shown that this is “a cost-effective means of increasing public awareness about the health effects of tobacco use and in reducing tobacco consumption”. He termed the ongoing debate on reducing the size of warnings on tobacco products, especially on beedis and smokeless tobacco as “worrisome.”
India implemented Article 11of WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) a few years ago, but is still not FCTC-compliant for this provision as the tobacco pack warnings occupy only 40% of the principal display area only on one side of the pack that makes up 20% of the total display area of the pack.
The Supreme Court is hearing a bunch of petitions on ordering large size warnings on the packs. In terms of health warnings on tobacco product packages, the country fares very badly, ranking 136 out of 198 countries in the international status report on Cigarette Package Health Warnings 2014.