"Most importantly, is it going to hold tobacco corporations accountable and put a check on misleading, surreptitious and deceitful tobacco promotions they unabashedly indulge in?"
he cigarette and other tobacco products Act (2003), repeated requests and appeals by health activists and India’s Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Anbumani Ramadoss to film stars to desist from smoking on screen and also from brand placement, the incidence of tobacco use in films is only rising.
Dr Ramadoss again appealed to the film-stars to be socially responsible and not smoke on-screen in the larger interest of the youth of the nation. He made a “passionate request” to film stars and other celebrities to stop endorsing cigarettes and other tobacco products on-screen.
“Eighty percent of movies have smoking scenes and studies show that majority of the youngsters take up smoking under the influence of celebrities,” said Dr Ramadoss.
Just last week, the legal proceeding against Amitabh Bachchan, was quashed by a session's court in
Filmstars should also desist from endorsing junk food and alcohol, added Dr Ramadoss.
He agreed that although 
“We will try and bring in school teachers, NCC cadets and various NGOs as legal enforcers,” Ramadoss said. “We are planning to introduce tobacco control at the school level also”, he added.
Apart from this, the ministry would launch a host of commercial spots and advertisements in print as well as the electronic media, he said.
But is this enough? Is it going to be effective in controlling tobacco use in
Published in:
Scoop Independent News, New Zealand
Central Chronicle, India
