India steps up fight against Big Tobacco over health warnings

VST Industries

05/04/2016 10:44

By Aditya Kalra 
    NEW DELHI, April 5 (Reuters) - India's health ministry on 
Tuesday ordered government agencies to enforce a new rule for 
bigger health warnings on tobacco packets, stepping up a fight 
against the $10 billion cigarette industry that has shut down 
its factories in protest. 
    The government wants manufacturers to cover 85 percent of a 
cigarette pack's surface in health warnings, up from 20 percent 
now.  
    But ITC Ltd  ITC.NS , part-owned by British American Tobacco 
 BATS.L , and Godfrey Phillips  GDFR.NS , partner of U.S.-based 
Philip Morris International PM.N , have opposed the measure, 
saying a parliament panel had suggested the health warning to be 
half the cigarette pack's size.  
    K.C. Samria, a joint secretary in the health ministry, on 
Monday sought support of several other ministries, including 
foreign affairs and revenue department, to ensure strict 
implementation of the new rules, letters seen by Reuters showed. 
     
 
 (Reporting by Aditya Kalra; Editing by Sanjeev Miglani) 
 ((aditya.kalra@thomsonreuters.com; +91-011-49548021; Reuters 
Messaging: aditya.kalra.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net)(Twitter: 
@adityakalra)) 
 
Keywords: INDIA TOBACCO/